Healing Touch
by Clairisant2000
Summary: This is a story based in AJ's past. Maybe a reason he didn't have luck in the history of the show.
1. Chapter 1

TITLE: Healing Touch

AUTHOR: Clairisant and Brenda

CLASSIFICATION: AJ/Other

FEEDBACK: Would love to hear both good and bad feedback but please try to be kind and constructive. Clairisant  and brendagaye42210 

AUTHORS NOTE: This story takes place in AJ's past.

CREDITS: A special thanks to our beta readers, Qupeydoll and April.

Chapter 1

Tuesday, May 18, 1976

1400 EST

Chegwidden home

Houston, Texas

AJ was pleased to be going home on leave, he had been on board a ship much too long and he needed the break. He knew his mother and sister would be glad to see him, he hoped that they had news of his six-year-old daughter. It had been over a year since he had any word from Marcella about Francesca.

Adele greeted him at the door with hugs and kisses, she was very happy to see him. However, she told him that he should be prepared for some major changes in their mother. She explained that since their father's death, Josephine had gone downhill. Her arthritis had gotten worse and because it hurt her to move, all she would do is eat. She was up to nearly three hundred pounds and for all intent purposes she was housebound.

Josephine hadn't been out of the house in several months and her greatest regret in that was that she had been missing church. She greeted her son with open arms and AJ tried to hide his shock at the changes in her. "AJ, I'm so happy you're home! When will you bring my granddaughter to see me? Adele is in no hurry to give me any."

"Mom, I don't know. I haven't seen or heard from Marcella in over a year. I doubt Francesca would even know me if she saw me. Marcella just remarried and I got word that she had changed my daughter's name while I was out to sea and couldn't do anything about it."

The three of them spent the rest of the day talking and catching up with each other. It was over breakfast the next morning that Josephine brought the fact that there was a revival meeting going on in town, she begged AJ to take her. He told her that he would be happy to take her; he hadn't been to one in years.

AJ checked Adele's car to make sure it was in good running condition and that evening he helped his mother into the car. Adele welcomed an evening to herself, so waved them off as they left.

The revival meeting started as usual with singing and preaching, praying and testifying. Then they brought out a faith healer! Her father, Harold Foster, stepped forward and with a flourish introduced his daughter, Grace. She came out in a white gown; it almost looked like a nightgown. Grace was tiny, barely five foot tall and looked little more than a child.

She raised her hands in a supplicating position and asked anyone that needed healing to come forward. People in the crowd started to move towards her, and later they claimed to be healed although AJ didn't believe it. However, it seemed that his mother believed what she was seeing. Josephine begged AJ to help her to go up front to Grace, but he told her 'no'.

As they were having a whispered argument, Grace announced that she had done all she could do that evening. Healing weakened her, she told them and her father helped her off the stage. He announced that she would be there again the next night to heal more of the believers.

Josephine begged AJ to bring her back the next night. He told her that faith healing was a load of crock, but she spent the entire next day between begging and crying. Adele stepped in when her mother began crying and added her pleas to Josephine's for AJ to take her back to the revival meeting.

Finally, AJ gave in, he never could resist a woman's tears and here were two of the people he loved most asking him for the same thing. He agreed to take his mother back to the meeting.

The meeting started as it had the night before, then Harold came out and introduced his daughter. Grace was dressed, as she had been the night before, and once again asked people to come forward and be healed. Several did and Josephine looked at her son.

AJ stared back at her not wanting to encourage her belief in this nonsense. Realizing that AJ wasn't going to help her go to the front of the room, she called out to Grace to get her attention. Smiling, the girl came down the aisle and knelt next to Josephine. "How can I help you, sister?"

To be continued…..


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"I'm Josephine and I have arthritis, can you please heal me?"

Grace took Josephine's hands in hers and smiled at her, "Do you believe that you will be healed, Sister Josephine?"

"Yes, I believe, Sister Grace!" she told her.

AJ sat there frowning; he couldn't believe that this would work no matter how much his mother did. This girl was so tiny and lovely, but he knew she was just a girl. He was attracted to her, even if he couldn't believe what she was claiming she could do. AJ had been at sea a long time and even though he still felt as though he were married, this young girl was the first time he had been tempted to remember that he was divorced.

He watched as Grace held his mother's hand and prayed. AJ sat there continuing to frown as Grace channeled her energies. Josephine had her eyes closed and AJ guessed that she was praying also. His mother opened her eyes in amazement a few moments later, "The pain is gone!" she gasped. "It's the first time I haven't been in pain in years! Thank you, Sister Grace!"

Grace smiled at her and answered, "Don't thank me, Sister Josephine, thank the Lord."

"Oh I do! I thank the Lord for sending you to us!" she exclaimed. Josephine got to her feet without AJ's help and he moved to stop her. She brushed his hands aside and took several steps unaided before turning to hug Grace. "Bless you child!" she exclaimed and then shouted, "Hallelujah!" which those congregated there, echoed.

After that Grace explained that she needed to rest, so her father invited everyone that had not been healed back the next day, which would be the last day in this town before moving on to the next.

AJ could still not believe the change that had taken place in his mother. He was sure that once the powerful feelings of the revival meeting had passed her arthritis symptoms would return, just as strong as ever.

When they reached the house Josephine practically danced up the walk. AJ hovered close by as she called out to her daughter. Adele came to the door just in time to see her mother climb the three steps to the porch unaided and nearly fainted at the sight. Her gaze flew to her brother. AJ just shrugged his shoulders and shook his head, he couldn't explain the changes in Josephine, but she could! Josephine began telling Adele all about the young woman named Grace that had healed her.

Suggesting that she go to bed early after all the excitement she had, AJ was met with resistance. Josephine wanted to stay up and cook! Something she hadn't been able to do in months. She wanted to cook AJ's all of his favorite foods, to really welcome him home on his leave.

"Mom, you don't have to do that! I'm happy to be here with you and Adele, I don't need anything else."

"But I want to do this for you!" she protested.

"If you still want to tomorrow I won't fuss at all." He was sure that by morning her pain would be back because the glow of the revival meeting would be gone. Josephine reluctantly did as he suggested and went to bed. AJ placed her pain relief pills on the bedside table in her reach, right next to a glass of water. He was sure she would need them by morning.

That evening after Grace had announced that she couldn't heal anyone else and they would need to come back the next night, her father helped her from the stage and out the back of the tent where their Airstream trailer was parked. Once inside he began his tirade, "Gracie, what in the world were you thinking?" he demanded as she collapsed on her bed.

"Father, I was only trying to do what the Lord wants me too, since I am His servant," Grace replied.

"You need to remember that if you wear yourself out too much, then you won't be able to help anyone the next night. If you're not helping people, it's not paying the bills," he reminded her.

"Yes, Father. Now may I lie down for a while? I'm so very tired and the pain wracks my body," sighed Grace.

"You shouldn't have healed that last woman completely! You should have had her come back tomorrow night."

"But, Father, she was in such pain."

Harold snapped, "And now you are!"

To be continued…..


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Early the next morning, AJ walked into the kitchen, to find his mother up and making breakfast for the family. She was moving joyfully and humming much to his surprise. Adele came up behind AJ and saw their mother, she grabbed AJ's arm saying, "Do you see what I do?"

"She must still under the effects of the emotional high from last night," he replied.

"I don't care what it is. You haven't been here for the last few years and seen what's been going on with her. This is a miracle! And I'm just going to thank God that it happened, and you should too!" Adele told him.

"I think I'm going back to see that faith healer tonight, and see if I can find out what kind of trick she's pulling," announced AJ.

Looking up, Josephine saw her two children, and said, "You two come in, and eat the wonderful breakfast I made for you with my own two hands."

Going in and sitting down she served up the breakfast as she sang 'Amazing Grace' while AJ and Adele looked on. "I've put a prime rib in for dinner tonight and I've got loaves of homemade bread rising already. Now you two eat up that breakfast, and tell me if you want more."

"Mother, there's enough on this plate for a truck driver!" exclaimed Adele as AJ started wolfing his down.

"If you're not going to finish it, Adele, I will," offered AJ.

Grinning Josephine said, "I think you should have said hungry sailor instead of truck driver, darling."

"After sea rations this tastes like ambrosia," replied AJ.

"That's my boy, always did love to eat. He's just like his father, Albert," said Josephine as a tear came to her eye.

Looking up at his mother, and thinking how much he loved and missed Francesca, he asked her, "Mom, did you ever think of having more children after Adele and I were born?"

"Your father and I wanted more children, very badly. I had two miscarriages before the two of you were born, and when I had two more before you two were three years old, my doctor advised us to stop trying."

"Mom! I never knew," Adele said, with tears in her voice.

"You never asked, darling," her mother told her. "What made you ask, AJ?"

"I miss Francesca so bad sometimes, it hurts," he replied. "I wish our marriage had worked and we'd had a house full of children."

"You'll have more someday, AJ," his mother comforted.

"Not if all he's ever around is a boat full of randy sailors," his sister teased.

"I work on a ship, Adele, not a boat. A boat is something you fish off of," he corrected her.

"It's still the same thing…there are no women aboard," she argued

"There are plenty of women when I'm in port," he said.

"The kind of women you pay won't be having your children," replied Adele.

"He's so handsome, I'm sure he's never had to pay a woman," smiled Josephine.

"Oh, come on, Mom, hookers don't care how handsome you are, they still charge you for the ride," said Adele.

"Adele Josephine Chegwidden! My son wouldn't go out with one of those women."

"Mom, you don't go out with those women…you go in with them," she said as she saw AJ blushing and said, "Look at his face, mom! You can tell he's been with THOSE women."

"Oh, Albert Jethro…is that why your marriage broke up?" she asked sadly.

"No, Mom, I was never unfaithful to Marcella. The only hooker I was ever with, was when I was in Nam before Marcella and I were married."

"Son, that's a sin…did you ever ask the Lord's forgiveness for it? If not you should go back to the revival and get forgiveness tonight."

Thinking that would be good cover story for him to go back and check out what this Grace person was up too, he said, "That's a good idea…I'll go back tonight and make things right."

"I'm so proud of you, son," Josephine said as Adele gave him a strange look, knowing he was up to something.

Seeing the look on his twin's face, and knowing she was about to question his actions, AJ asked her, "Isn't it about time you were off to work sis?"

She looked at her watch and gasped, "Oh, good Lord I'm going to be late!"

As she grabbed an extra piece of toast and ran toward the door her mother called out, "Adele, you shouldn't use the Lord's name in vain that way."

"Let AJ do penance for me tonight!" she shouted going out the door.

To be continued…..


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

AJ spent the day puttering around the house making minor repairs that his father would have done, but that his mother and Adele had neglected. "Son, you don't need to do that," his mother told him.

"Mom, doing household chores is a vacation to me, after working on a carrier or stomping through a jungle."

"Do you like working on a ship, son?"

"Yes, I do, in fact I think my next deployment, I'll be given a ship of my own to command," he said proudly.

"That sounds wonderful, son, I'm so proud of you and your father would be too if only he were alive to tell you."

"Thanks, mom, I've worked hard to get where I am today."

"I know, son, and I've worried so about you many of nights. I'm just glad you made it back from Vietnam. I'm glad the good Lord helped you escape and you made it home. I still don't know why you wanted to stop being SEAL."

"Because Marcella always hated that, Mom, and I was hoping that if I took ship duty she might come back to me."

"Did you write and tell her you were leaving the SEALs?"

"I wrote it in the last birthday card that I sent Francesca and I know she reads them to her, but she didn't even answer me back."

"AJ, did you write to her and tell her that you were doing this for her and ask her to come back to you?"

"No, mom, I just assumed that she would know that I was doing it for her because she always hated me being a SEAL."

"AJ, the woman is not a mind reader and doesn't know you still love her."

"But, mom, I never stopped loving her! She's the one that took Francesca and headed off to Italy."

"Did you take my advice and write her to tell her you loved her and ask her to come back?"

"I never wrote, but I did call her a few times. All she did was scream at me."

"She screamed when you asked her to come back to you?"

"I told her to come back to me!"

"You mean you ordered her to come back to you, son?"

"I guess she might have taken it that way, Mom."

"Oh, son, don't you know you can't order a women to do things? Especially a woman with Marcella's temper."

"Well, it's too late to do anything about it right now since she has already remarried."

Later that afternoon AJ took a shower and changed clothes, then stopped in the kitchen where his mom was starting dinner. He said, "Don' t go to any trouble for me tonight, Mom, I was going to drop by and see if Jeff was home. He and I might have dinner in town before I go to the revival."

Kissing him on his cheek she said, "Don't be drinking beer now, I know how wild that Jeff can be."

"Mom, you caught us with a six pack when we were seventeen that was eleven years ago. He is married and has three kids know."

"He'll always be that 'wild Carter boy' to me."

"Mom, he manages the hardware store these days."

"I don't care, he's still the boy that tried to corrupt my son."

AJ left the house shaking his head. He never wanted to admit to this mother that he had been the one that had bought the beer all those years ago. Knocking on the door he was glad to see Jeff when he opened it. "Hey, Jeff, want to have dinner and shoot the breeze tonight?"

"Gee, AJ, sorry but I can't it's my wedding anniversary we even have her mother watching the kids so we can go out. Sorry, pal, maybe we could do it another night while your home."

"Yeah, we can do it another night, have a great anniversary. Night Jeff."

Cruising the town in his sister's car wondering what to do before the revival meeting, AJ decided to stop at a little Italian restaurant that he didn't remember being there when he was last home. Going inside the sights and smells assailed him. They reminded him so much of Marcella, that he once again felt the pain of losing her and it didn't help that his friend Jeff was celebrating his wedding anniversary either.

To be continued…..


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

AJ ordered his favorite dish and decided it wasn't bad for an Italian restaurant in Texas. After dinner he decided to head out to where the revival was being held, even though it was early. Pulling up to the lot where the tent was he noticed the silver Airstream parked behind the tent. Going over and knocking on the door, Harold Foster answered the door," Yes?" he questioned when he saw a young man he didn't recognize standing there.

"Pardon me, sir, I was hoping to talk to your daughter," AJ said.

"She is busy praying right now you can see her at the meeting," replied Harold.

Thinking quickly AJ said, "Sir, I'm in the Navy and I was wounded in Vietnam and my injury still bothers me and I was wondering if Sister Grace could ease some of my pain and suffering."

"Son, she can do that at the revival meeting."

"But, Sir, I've been here the last two nights and she was tired and needed to rest before she could get to me."

"I'm sorry about that, son, but we make our living doing these revival meetings and that's our only income."

"Well, Sir, if I made a donation to the cause will you let me see her for just a few minutes?" AJ said pulling out his wallet and holding up a twenty for Harold to see.

Staring at the twenty and realizing that this money would be free and clear unlike the offering taken at the revival, which was, split fifty-fifty. Reaching for the twenty, Harold took it and AJ saw it disappear into his pocket faster than he thought possible. "Thank you, son, we'll put it to good use. I'll check and make sure things are ready for the show tonight."

Entering the trailer AJ had to duck his head to get inside. He thought that this was such a cramped small space for two people to live in. To top it off, it was stifling hot even with the windows open. Not seeing Grace when he entered the trailer, he called out, "Sister Grace?"

The girl that emerged from the back of the trailer held little resemblance to the one he had seen at the meetings for the last two nights. This girl's hair was in a ponytail instead of hanging straight next to her face and down her back. She was wearing a Minnie Mouse T-shirt and a pair of short-shorts, which left her shapely, if short, legs on display, her tiny feet were bare, but each toe was painted with scarlet polish. He noticed her fingernails were bare of polish and figured that little sign of rebellion could be hidden in her shoes.

"Miss Foster," he nodded at her.

"Who are you and how did you get in here? Did my father let you in here? Where is he?" she asked.

"I told him I needed to see you about an old injury of mine that has been bothering me. He said he was going to check on things to make sure they were ready for tonight so we could talk."

"He usually doesn't let me heal anyone outside the revival meetings," she responded cautiously.

"It might have something to do with the offering I gave him."

"Oh, probably," she said with just a slight resigned tone to her voice. Looking at her visitor again she asked, "Why don't you tell me where your injury is?"

"It's here on my right side," he told her holding his hand at waist level. Walking slowly over to him she placed her small soft hands on him and then looked up to meet his eyes. "I don't sense an injury here," she said, then seeing the guilty look on his face she asked, "Was that supposed to be a test? And if so, did I pass?"

"I'm sorry, I just wanted to see if you were for real. The injury is on my left side."

Placing her hands on his left side she nodded when she sensed his old injury. As she closed her eyes and concentrated, AJ watched her. He felt a warmth begin to spread from her hands and then, as if by magic, the dull ache he had carried with him for the past several years seems to disappear. She looked up into his eyes and softly said, "That shouldn't bother you any longer."

To be continued…..


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Placing his hands where hers had been, AJ rubbed the spot as the warmth he had felt disappeared. "That's an amazing trick, how did you do it?" he asked.

"Why did you ask me to heal you, if you didn't believe?"

"I'm still not sure you healed anything, I felt a warmth, and then the pain went away….Ben-Gay does the same thing," he replied.

"You go away, and if your pain ever does come back, then you can use Ben-Gay and I'll make sure you get your donation back."

"I'm sorry I just wanted to know how you do this. You healed my mother last night and I just wanted to know if this is real, or if she'll be back in pain again soon. I don't mean to doubt, I'm just concerned."

Understanding dawned in her eyes and she thought how nice it was to have someone love their mother this much. "It's good that you're concerned about your mother, but I can assure you that her pain won't come back."

"Could you explain to me, what it is that you do?" he asked

Grinning slightly she said, "Other than taking it on faith alone?"

"I know you have to be at the revival in a little bit, but could you go with me and have some coffee and talk to me about it for a while?" he asked.

Grace looked around, and not seeing her father, she decided to go with the handsome man. "Excuse me a moment and let me change clothes, father doesn't let me go out dressed like this."

"You look fine to me," AJ told her with a smile.

"Thank you, but your not my father," she replied.

Looking her over from head to foot and spending a little extra time on her shapely legs he said, "No, and I'm glad I'm not."

Blushing, she shyly, she dropped her head and hurried off to what he assumed was her bedroom in the trailer. Minutes later she came back out dressed in a lavender sundress and she had taken her hair out of the pony tail to let it fall down her shoulders with a matching Alice-band to keep it away from her face. "I'm ready now let's go," said Grace. "If we're going out, I should at least know your name."

"AJ Chegwidden," he replied.

Helping her down the trailer steps, he walked her to his sister's car and held the door for her to get in. Going around he got in and headed for the little coffee shop about two miles down the road. Once inside and seated they ordered their coffee and AJ asked, "Now, can you tell me how this healing power works?"

"I just see the spot that is injured or sick and place my hand over it and ask the Lord to heal it through me. He uses my body as a go between, between Him and the person that needs the healing. That's all there is to it."

"You're awful little for such a big job aren't you, Grace?"

"Nope, I've been doing this since I was a very small child," she smiled.

"You're still a small child, Grace."

"I'm twenty years old, AJ. I may look small, but I'm old beyond my years."

"I never would have guessed you to be twenty, as tiny as you are," he replied stunned.

"Most people never know my age, thanks to father."

"He must care a lot about you," said AJ

"In his own way he does," replied Grace. "He's very protective."

"I know I'd be very protective of my daughter too, if she was here so I could be."

Reaching across the table and took his and said, "Oh, AJ, I'm so sorry! But you should be comforted by how much the Lord loves little children."

"No, you misunderstood. My daughter is in Italy with my ex-wife. She just recently remarried and I don't get to see her much with me in the Navy. I haven't seen her in years."

"That is worse when you know she is out there somewhere, but can't see her."

"Yes, it's like an open wound," he replied.

To be continued…..


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"Maybe you should try to make contact with her. When she's out of school you could have her with you though the summer."

"I'm in the Navy and have no idea where I'll be stationed. I have sea duty and I never know when I'll be on land or for how long. You can see how hard that would make it for me to get her for a visit."

"Yes, but surely there must be some way…a little girl needs her father."

"I know, but my life is so unpredictable in the Navy."

"I don't suppose you would consider changing jobs would you?" she asked.

"No, I was born to serve my Country and I enjoy it."

"But what about your daughter?"

"I'll make time for her somehow. She does have a father in her life. My ex-wife remarried and gave my daughter the man's last name."

"Can she do that without your permission?"

"They are in a foreign country, she's the major's daughter, and she did it."

"Can't the Navy help you do something about that?"

"I don't want my daughter to see me as someone who is causing problems in her life."

"But you do want her to see you as her father don't you?" she asked.

"Yes, but I'll find a way. Now, let's not talk about that, let's talk about you," AJ said. "Do you and your father have a home base, or do you travel around all year?"

A stricken look came over her face and she said, "Father sold our house after mother died and we've traveled ever since then."

"I'm sorry you lost your mother, how were you then?" he asked.

She softly whispered, "I was seven and it's my fault she's dead."

"How could your mother's death possibly be your fault? You were only seven!"

Quiet tears were sliding down her cheeks as she replied, "We were coming home from a revival and the roads were icy. Another car swerved towards us, father lost control and went into a ditch. My parents were both pinned in the front seat; Daddy had a bruised chest and a broken rib. Mama was unconscious and we couldn't get her to come around. Father realized she had internal injuries when she started bleeding from her mouth and nose. I had been asleep on the back seat when the accident happened. I always get so tired and achy after healing all those people. Father was yelling at me to heal Mama, but I was scared."

Her eyes met his, and as she continued, "When I put my hands on her, I could feel that she was dying. I backed away because I was so scared, Father reached out and grabbed me and made me touch Mama again. She was almost not breathing and I was so afraid, all I could do was cry. Daddy kept screaming at me to heal her and then she stopped breathing…so you see, it was my fault that she died."

AJ sat there for a moment in stunned silence, appalled that any child should have to go through that. In the back of his mind, he was thinking, she was only a year older than Francesca was now, when this had happened to her. Taking both of her hands in his, AJ gently said, "Grace, as magnificent as your powers are, I don't think even your father could expect you to heal death."

"But I should have healed her before she died! I was just so afraid," she protested.

"You were only seven, and had just been in a car accident, of course you were afraid!"

"It doesn't matter, Father still blames me for her death to this day," replied Grace.

"Then I don't think much of your Father," he said with an angry sign.

"But he's all I have left in the world," she said sadly. "I don't even have any friends with the way we travel around."

Giving her hands a gentle squeeze, he said, "I'd like to be your friend, if you'd let me, Grace."

She gave him a shy smile and replied, "I'd like that."

"Well I'd better be getting you back. It's almost time for the revival to start."

Grace looked at the clock on the wall and gasped, she said, "Father will be very upset with me for being gone so long."

"Don't you worry about that, I'll explain to him that we were just having coffee," smiled AJ.

"That won't matter he'll still be upset," she replied.

To be continued…..


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

AJ quickly paid their bill and led her out to the car. He drove as fast as he dared back to the small trailer where her father awaited them in a fury.

"Get inside, Grace, and get ready for the meeting. We'll discuss this matter after the meeting."

"Sir, we just went out for a cup of coffee at that shop down the road," explained AJ.

"You had no permission to take my daughter anywhere, young man. I suggest you leave and never come near her again."

"Mr. Foster, Grace needs friends, like all girls her age," replied AJ.

"Not male friends, and certainly not someone as old as you! Now git!"

"Please try talking to your daughter, and listen with an open mind. She needs people her own age, and it's hard the way you travel."

"How we earn our business is none of yours! Must I have you thrown out of the revival?"

"No, Sir, just tell Grace I'll be thinking about her."

"I'll do no such thing! Now leave."

"Then tell her I'll be praying for her."

"She has plenty of people praying for her, she doesn't need your prayers."

Seeing he wasn't making any headway with Mr. Foster, AJ turned to leave, then he saw Grace's face through a small window in the trailer as she waved goodbye to him.

AJ headed to the revival tent, and even being a bit early, he was not the first to arrive. He still managed to get a seat in the front row. He went through motions of participating, although he was only there to see Grace. When her Father came out to introduce her, he frowned severely when he saw AJ sitting in the front row.

Harold introduced his daughter and Grace came out with her head bowed. However, when she finally looked up and saw AJ in the front row, she gave him a brilliant smile, which caused her father to frown even more. Even though AJ noticed her father's reaction he couldn't help but be pleased at Grace's innocent joy at seeing him in the audience. Smiling back at her, he hoped this wouldn't cause her more problems with her father.

As the revival continued, and Grace healed people, her father tried to get her to leave, but knowing he was angry with her and would yell at her back at the trailer as well as the fact that AJ was in the audience, she chose to stay. She grew weaker with each person she healed, and suddenly as she was standing beside AJ, her legs buckled under her. AJ's quick reactions managed to save her from hitting the floor. Sweeping her up in his arms he took her from the revival tent.

Harold's face was a mask of fury as he led the way from the tent to the trailer. AJ cradled Grace's body carefully next to his own as Harold yelled, "See what you have done, you young fool!"

"I think it has more to do with the fact you would yell at her, than with me, Mr. Foster."

"Don't you be impertinent, you young upstart!" he yelled.

"Sir, I've had people under my command in the Navy, and I've never treated a one of them the way you treat your daughter."

"When you have children of your own, then you can tell me how to treat my daughter."

"Well then, Sir, you should listen to me, because I do have a daughter."

"Then go back to you wife and child and leave us alone!"

"I don't have a wife, Sir," AJ said.

"Oh, yes, that's the kind of person I want around my daughter! A person with an illegitimate child!" the sarcasm was heavy in Harold's voice.

"Father, he was married, but his wife divorced him."

"So he couldn't even keep a wife! Is what you're telling me?"

"She's not telling you anything, Sir! And my marriage is none of your business," said AJ.

"It is, if you think you're going to have anything to do with my daughter."

"Father, we're just friends! In fact I was advising him on how to spend more time with his daughter," replied Grace.

"Yes, why don't you go and do that, and leave MY daughter alone."

"Because my daughter is in Italy, and that doesn't stop me from wanting to be a friend to your daughter," said AJ.

"I know men like you, and you want to be more than a friend!" sneered Harold.

"You don't know me then, Sir," relied AJ. "But as long as Grace is here, and safe, I'll take my leave, Sir."

To be continued…..


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Turning to Grace he asked, "What city are you going to next?"

"Our next revival is at Kingwood. We always go to the next town early, even though the revival doesn't start until that Friday."

"Isn't there anyway you could stay here for a few days, before heading on to Kingwood?"

"Most certainly not! Our plans are made and we will stick to them!" Harold snapped.

"Father, maybe I could stay with one of the congregation here, for a few days, and then AJ could bring me up on Wednesday or Thursday?"

Before Harold could answer, AJ volunteered, "My mother has a guest room, and I'm sure she would be glad to let you stay."

"Yes, I'm sure you would have her stay with your mother!" sneered Harold.

"Sir, I don't lie! I'm an officer in the United States Navy," responded AJ. "And I hold honor above all. My mother and my sister would be there to chaperone Grace."

Seeing the pleading look in his daughter's eyes he said, "Before I would agree to that, I would need to meet your mother and sister."

"Why don't both of you come for breakfast tomorrow morning?" replied AJ, noticing how tired Grace was.

Agreeing to the suggestion just to get AJ to leave, Harold took the piece of paper that AJ wrote the address on and held the door open for him to go. Kissing the back of Grace's hand he said, "Until tomorrow morning."

"I'll see you then, AJ," she said softly knowing in her heart she would probably never see him again.

"What's gotten into your head, girl?" Harold yelled.

"I don't know what you mean, Father."

"I've never known you to try and take up with a man before. What would the Good Lord think of your behavior?"

"I have done nothing wrong, Father, we just had coffee," replied Grace.

"But he's already having a bad influence on you! First, going out without permission, and now wanting to stay behind, while I go off to a new city."

"Father, all we do for the first few days is play cards in the trailer anyway."

"But we don't know these people, Gracie," said Harold.

"You'll have a chance to get to know them tomorrow, Father, and you can ask them questions then," replied Grace.

"I'm not sure it's a good idea for you to meet these people."

"You promised, Father. Please!"

"We'll wait and see in the morning," he said.

"No, you'll just load up and head to Kingwood in the morning. You promised we could go to meet his mother and sister."

"Alright, child, but meeting them is all I promised."

Going home that night AJ called for his mother and Adele to come into the living room. Gathered there he said, "We're having company tomorrow morning for breakfast."

"Who?" asked Adele.

"Company for breakfast?" asked Josephine.

"Yes. Grace, the faith healer, and her father, Harold."

"Why are they stopping here for breakfast?" asked Adele.

"Oh, wonderful! I'll get to see her again," said Josephine.

"I'm hoping that Grace will get to visit with us for a few days."

Clapping her hands together with glee Josephine said, "That would be great to have her visit with us."

"We have to convince her father first," replied AJ.

"Surely the man will let her stay in a God-fearing home," cried Josephine.

"He has fears that I will sneak into her room in the middle of the night."

"That sounds like my randy brother," grinned Adele

"Adele!" Josephine exclaimed.

"Yeah, that's just the kind of comment we need when Grace and her Father get here," said AJ.

To be continued…..


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The next morning Grace came out of the trailer to find her Father hooking the it up to their battered old pick up truck. "Father, we don't need the trailer on the truck to go to breakfast."

"I just thought that if things didn't work out, we would be ready to go on out of town."

"In other words, you're planning for them not to work out?"

"No, daughter, but it pays to be prepared, and don't give me any of your backtalk or we won't even stop."

"Yes, Father," she said bowing her head. Getting into the truck she waited for him to finish the hookup before they took off.

Grace was wearing her prettiest sundress, that morning, in the hopes that AJ would notice. She had put her hair up in a bun, hoping to look more mature, since AJ had made the comment of her looking like a child. Her father climbed into the cab of the truck and seemed to notice her hair for the first time. He said, "Take your hair down! It makes you look too much like your mother, and I don't want to be reminded, that you let her be taken from me."

"I'm sorry, Father," she said taking the pins from her hair with tears in her eyes.

AJ had barely slept at all that night; he found it hard to believe that he was so excited at the possibility of Grace staying for a visit. He showered and then spent twenty minutes trying to decide what to wear.

Walking by the open bedroom door Adele caught her brother standing in his boxers in front of the closet going through his clothes. She had to stop for a minute to tease him, "I never spent as much time as this getting ready for a date, AJ."

AJ taunted back, "Maybe that's why you don't have very many."

"Mom," Adele called out. "AJ's being mean to me again."

AJ rolled his eyes at his sister's comment, but laughed when his mother exclaimed, "Adele, you leave your brother alone!"

Using a line from one of his favorite shows the Smothers Brothers, "Mom always did like me best."

"If you don't behave, I'll tell Grace's father you have a girl in every port."

Suddenly turning serious, he said, "Adele, please don't, Grace is very special and I'd like to get the chance to know her."

"I thought you were still in love with Marcella?"

"That would be very foolish of me since she's recently remarried."

"I bet you could get her back if you still wanted her."

"She left me, Adele. Why would I still want her?"

Quickly finishing dressing AJ went into the guest room to check for the third time that everything was all right. When he saw his mother passing by in the hall he asked, "You did put clean sheets on the bed, didn't you mom?"

"Of course I did, Albert Jethro! My mother taught me how to prepare for a guest. Will you please calm down and let me take care of things?"

An idea stuck AJ, and he turned and headed for the backyard. Coming back a few minutes later to find his mother preparing breakfast, he asked her, "Mom, where would I find a vase for these flowers?"

"Are those flowers from my yard, Albert Jethro?"

"Yes they are, mom, I thought they would look good in Grace's room. I know how proud you are of your garden and thought you'd like to share them with her."

Adele arrived in the kitchen just to hear this and smirked at her brother's blatant attempt to get out of the tongue-lashing she knew their mother was about to deliver. "What a sweet and thoughtful idea, AJ! I'm sorry I didn't think of it myself."

Adele's mouth dropped open in shock, as her brother took the vase Josephine handed him with a triumphed grin. He had just come back from putting the flowers in the guestroom when the battered old pick up pulling the Airstream trailer pulled up in front of the house.

"Looks like they are planning on eating and running, brother dear," said Adele.

At the look on his face Josephine said, "Don't worry, son, I'll try my best to convince her father to let her visit for a few days."

"Thanks Mom," he said, as he hurried to the door to invite Grace and her father inside.

To be continued…..


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Introducing his mother to them, AJ added, "You might remember her from the revival meeting."

With a gentle smile, Grace said, "Yes, I do, it's a pleasure to meet you again, Mrs. Chegwidden."

Then AJ introduced his sister Adele to them.

Josephine said, "It's a pleasure to have both of you in my home. I have been including Grace in my prayers ever since she healed me. You are truly blessed to have such an incredible daughter, Mr. Foster. Breakfast is almost ready why don't you come in and have a seat? What can I get everyone to drink? I have coffee, milk and orange juice."

Once everyone had their drinks and was settled at the table, Josephine brought out a large platter of scrambled eggs, and Adele brought out the biscuits. AJ carried in the gravy. "This all looks wonderful, Mrs. Chegwidden," said Grace, wondering why her father had said nothing at all.

As the food was passed around and everyone prepared his or her plate, Josephine asked Harold if he would do the honor of blessing the meal. Smiling, Harold asked everyone to bow their head and then he blessed the food. Digging into his food, Harold looked up in astonishment and said, "Mrs. Chegwidden, this is the best biscuits and gravy I've had since my wife passed away. Ma'am you certainly can cook!"

Josephine blushed at the compliment, "Thank you, Mr. Foster, I'm pleased you like the food."

"It must be wonderful traveling around and seeing so many beautiful places like you do," said Adele.

"We do get to see a lot of the county side," Harold told her. "But since we're doing the Lord's work we aren't doing it for fun."

"Doing the Lord's work, like we do, is lonely work," replied Grace. "We rarely get invited into people's homes like this."

Josephine placed her hand over Grace's and said, "We would be honored if you would stay and visit with us for a few days, Sister Grace."

"You have to understand, Mrs. Chegwidden, that I am very concerned for my daughter's virtue, since you have an unmarried son here in the house."

"FATHER!" Grace exclaimed and blushed furiously.

"I raised him to respect women, Mr. Foster, and I can assure you that Grace's virtue will be safe in this house."

"Well, if I have your assurance, then I guess she can stay for a few days," replied Harold.

They all ate a hearty breakfast, and then Grace walked out to the trailer with her father to retrieve her old and worn out suitcase that she had packed in the hopes her father would allow her to stay. Grace was so grateful for her father for allowing her this visit she gave him an unaccustomed hug and thanked him. Reluctantly returning the hug, Harold once again admonished her to be in Kingwood by Thursday afternoon. "I will, Father," she promised as she waved him away.

Taking her battered suitcase from her hand AJ said, "I'll show you to the guest room."

His mother gently corrected him, "No, son, we will show her to the guest room. I made a promise to Mr. Foster, and you and Grace will not be alone in her room."

The three of them went back to the guest room and AJ was putting her bag down when Grace went over to the bouquet of flowers and said, "Oh, how beautiful," and inhaled deeply of their fragrance.

Eager to take credit for her pleasure AJ said, "I picked those from mom's garden this morning, just for you."

Blushing she shyly said, "Thank you, AJ, that was very kind of you. The flowers are very lovely, Mrs. Chegwidden, I would love to see your garden sometime."

"Please call me, Josephine, dear, I loved my husband very much, but he gave me a last name that is certainly a mouth full. You can see my garden anytime you like, dear, I usually spend my afternoons out there unless I have errands to run."

"Please let me be of help while I am here I don't want to be treated like a guest," replied Grace.

"But you are a guest, dear, and we don't get many, so you'll just have to let us spoil you," replied Josephine.

To be continued…..


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"I don't think three days is enough to spoil her, mom," said AJ. "We'll have to see if we can keep her longer."

"Father won't allow that," she said softly. "I had a hard enough time getting him to let me stay these three days."

AJ looked disappointed that there was no possible way Grace could stay longer and asked, "Do you think he would let you come for another visit sometime?"

"I don't know, it is hard to say when it comes to father," replied Grace.

"Let's just see how this visit goes," said Josephine. "If it goes well maybe he'll let you come for another."

"That sounds like a good idea, mom," grinned AJ as he bent down and kissed Josephine.

Waiting until his mom turned away blushing, he leaned over and gave Grace a soft kiss on the cheek also. Her gasp had his mother turning around to see what had happened and Grace's blush told Josephine all she needed to know. "Albert Jethro Chegwidden, did you do what I think you just did?"

At Grace's giggle, AJ said, "Mom, I've asked you not to use my full name."

"Why not, it's a fine strong name?" asked Josephine.

"Yes, it is. It sounds like the name of someone who will someday be very important," said Grace.

"AJ will just have to do, even if I someday become an Admiral," replied AJ.

"Oooh, Admiral Chegwidden…that sounds so impressive, what rank are you now?" asked Grace.

"He's a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy and was a SEAL, but now he is going to be the commander of his own ship," bragged Josephine.

"Mom, we don't know that yet. It's still just a maybe," said AJ

"Still, even the fact they are even considering you for it, means that they think you are doing very well," Grace beamed at him.

"Grace, would you like to go for a ride around town? You said you never got to see much of the place where you were staying," said AJ. "I could show you around, and maybe we could have lunch in town."

"That sounds like a good idea, AJ, but make sure your back for dinner, because I have something special planned in honor of Grace's being here."

"Oh, mom, please tell me that means you're planning on making your famous chicken and dumplings."

"Now there you go ruining my surprise, Albert Jethro! What am I going to do with you?" asked his mother.

"You can start by not calling me by my full name," he groaned

"I ought to take the fly swatter to you like I did when you were younger," said Josephine.

"Mom," he groaned. "Are you ready to get out of here, Grace?"

"Yes, whenever you are," replied Grace.

"About ten minutes ago," he muttered.

Grinning, she took the hand he offered and they walked to the car. Getting in, he smiled and started it, and headed for town. "Can you think of something you would like to see, Grace?" he asked.

"No, just being with you is enough," she said shyly.

Reaching out he picked up her hand and asked, "Would you like to slide over here a little closer to me, Grace?"

Blushing, she nodded and did. AJ then placed his arm around her shoulders and settled in for the ride to town. They rode around for a couple of hours and then he took her to lunch at the same Italian restaurant he had eaten the other night.

AJ held the chair for Grace as sat down at the table. Once he sat down a waiter came over and they ordered their meal. While they were drinking their tea, AJ asked, "Grace, have you ever been to see a movie?"

"No, AJ, father says that all they show in the theater, is sinful," she said taking a sip of tea.

"You do know that is not true, don't you, Grace? I saw the movie The Shootist staring John Wayne, my favorite actor, the other day. I would hardly call that sinful. And then the Disney movies like the Shaggy DA is a comedy," replied AJ.

"I know, but we don't even have a television so I have nothing to go by," said Grace shrugging her shoulders.

"What kind of music do you like?" asked AJ.

"All the music I have ever heard, has been gospel, so I am not one to ask about music either."

"You have led a very sheltered life thanks to your father," said AJ.

"Yes, he is very protective of me."

"Have you ever been out on a date before?"

"This is my first one," she said shyly.

To be continued…..


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"Well, I'm proud to be the first man to take you out," smiled AJ as he reached for her hand. "Maybe I could take you to a movie during your stay with us? Would you like that?"

"As long as it was not something my father would disapprove of. The John Wayne one sounds violent, but maybe the Disney one would be ok."

"I've heard the Shaggy DA is a very good movie, let's try to plan on going tomorrow night. I will even clear it with mother," smiled AJ.

Smiling back at him she replied, "I think I would like that very much. It will give me something to look forward to."

"Remind me when we get back in the car and I will turn on the radio, so you can hear some of the latest music and see if you like any of it," said AJ, as he linked their fingers together.

"Alright, I'll look forward to it," Grace said, as she took a sip of tea.

After they had finished eating, AJ helped her from her seat and paid for their meal, then went out to the car. Helping her inside she immediately scooted over to sit next to him without being asked. Getting in, AJ started the car and turned on the radio and the song 'Tonight's the Night' by Rod Stewart came blaring out of the radio. "How do you like this?" asked AJ.

"It sounds nice. He has a strange, but nice voice," smiled Grace.

Driving down the road they listened to one song after another until 'Moody Blues' sung by Elvis Presley came on the radio. "Do you like this one, Grace?"

"It's pretty, who sings it?" she asked.

"My favorite singer, Elvis Presley," replied AJ.

"Oh, but father says he is possessed by the devil! Father says no one can move the way he does, unless the devil was in his body," remarked Grace.

"He is not possessed by the devil, Grace. He's just a remarkable dancer. He can really move. I wish I could dance and sing the way he does. The way he moves his hips has made him more money than I'll ever see."

"Father says it's not proper to look at that part of a man."

"There is nothing sinful about the body, after all God created it, didn't he?" asked AJ, as he caressed Grace's shoulder.

"Gee, I never thought of it that way," she said surprised. Shrugging away from AJ's fingers she said, "Please stop that, father said not to let a boy touch me like that. It leads to making babies."

Stunned, AJ pulled over to the side of the road and stopped the car. Turning to Grace he asked, "Grace, has no one told you the facts of life?"

"No, my mother died before I was old enough to know them, and father won't talk about such things," Grace said with a blush on her face.

"Grace, you can't get pregnant by me touching your arm, or kissing you. I'll have to talk to mother and see if she'll sit down and talk with you tonight. I would tell you, but I sense you would be too embarrassed."

"Thank you, AJ, I appreciate your understanding," she said with her head down.

"Here, let me play you a love song by Elvis, and see what you think, now that you know he's not possessed," AJ said, reaching into the back seat to pull out one of his eight tracks. Putting it in the tape player, he selected the track he wanted and waited. Suddenly the car was filled with music. The song was, 'Love Me Tender', AJ pulled Grace closer and kissed her tenderly on the lips. Grace knew she would never forget that moment, nor the song, it would always haunt her with the memory of her first kiss.

Smiling at Grace, AJ started the car and headed back toward home. He didn't want to make his mother angry and they had been gone quite awhile. He was also looking forward to the chicken and dumplings that she was making that night for dinner.

To be continued…..


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Once AJ and Grace returned home, they walked into the house filled with the aroma of Josephine's cooking. AJ was pretty sure that he smelled her strawberry/rhubarb pie baking, but after she had scolded him for spoiling the surprise of the chicken and dumplings, he knew he had better not say anything out loud. While AJ went to look for his mother, Grace went to her room to freshen up. A few minutes later Adele walked through the door, and seeing AJ she asked, "Where's Grace? Is she in her room?"

"Yes, she went up there a little while ago, but should be back down soon."

"I think I'll go on up and see her for a minute," replied Adele. Quickly leaving the kitchen, Adele went upstairs and knocked on Grace's door.

Josephine came in to check on dinner and asked, "Are you two finally back?"

"Yes, mom, but you and I need to have a talk," AJ told her.

"What kind of talk do we need to have, son?"

"Remember 'the talk' you had with Adele when she started dating boys?"

"Yes, but I thought your father had the same talk with you many years ago, son?" she asked confused.

"Mom, it's not me that needs that talk. It's Grace. I touched her shoulder today in the car, and she pulled away from me, saying that her father told her things like that led to making babies."

"Albert Jethro! Are you sure it was only her shoulder that you were touching?" she asked.

"Yes, mom, I was driving. Do you think I would grope her in the front seat of a car, in broad daylight, while we're driving down a busy city street?" he questioned incredulously. He hung his head and shook it sadly, "Mom, I thought you knew you had raised me better than that. Maybe you aren't the one to have this talk with Grace after all," he slowly turned to leave the room.

"Get back in here, AJ! I just wanted to be sure your hand hadn't done something inappropriate. I'd be glad to have that talk with Grace tonight before we go to bed. I don't know why her father has led her to believe such a lie."

"Because I'm pretty sure that he wants to keep her as his meal ticket for the rest of his life. And if she never let's a man kiss her, she'll never fall in love and leave him."

"Oh, that's such a shame that a father would treat his own child that way. To be twenty and never have been kissed, the poor girl has missed so much." Looking at her son, Josephine noticed his blush and how he was suddenly avoiding her eyes, she asked indigently, "So you have done more than touched her shoulder!?"

"I hadn't until that point, mother, but when she said that, and I pulled the car over. A song came on the radio, and one thing lead to another, and I kissed her."

"Did she enjoy the kiss, son?" asked Josephine."

"She seemed to, mom," replied AJ. "I didn't do anything inappropriate, I just kissed her.

"Well then, I guess there is no harm done," replied Josephine. "You just be careful and behave yourself around that girl."

"Yes, Ma'am, you know I will."

"I know, son, but a little reminder doesn't hurt. Now I have to check on dinner or it will end up not worth eating."

"Mom?" asked AJ.

"Yes, Son."

"You know how terrible upset I was when Marcella divorced me…"

"Yes, son I do."

With a sigh, his eyes met hers, and there was an almost confused look on his face when he told her, "Suddenly, I'm not so upset.

"How long have you felt this way?" Josephine asked.

"Two or three days," he replied.

"That's how long you have known Grace," she smiled at him tenderly.

"Yes, it is. Why do you say that?"

"It sounds like you are falling in love with Grace."

With a stunned look on his face he said, "I think you're right."

To be continued…..


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Upstairs, Grace asked, "Who is there?" when the knock came at her door.

"It's me, Adele and I'd like to speak with you for just a minute."

Opening the door Grace smiled, "Yes, please do come in. Did you have a good day at work?"

"It was better than most. I even found something for you today," replied Adele handing Grace a gaily-wrapped present.

"You bought me a present?" she asked astonished. "But why?"

"Because I like you, and the color of the present reminded me of your intense green eyes."

"Thank you so very much," replied Grace taking the gift and opening it very slowly, careful not to tear the paper, she wanted to save it. Inside she found a lovely green silk scarf.

"I thought you might like this, because when AJ drives, he likes to do so with the windows down. This scarf will keep your hair from flying in all directions."

"Oh, Adele, I can't thank you enough for the beautiful gift," she said, hugging her awkwardly.

"It'll be thanks enough if I can see you wear and know I was right in choosing it."

"It's almost too pretty to wear…maybe I should save it for special occasions?"

"If you're not going to wear it, then maybe I should take it back," Adele teased, and tried to reach for the gift.

Startled, at what she saw as a punishment, Grace began to cry.

"Grace, sweetheart why are you crying?" asked Adele.

Just then there came a knock at the door. Adele, without thinking said, "Come on in."

AJ came inside the room as Grace was saying, "I'm sorry, I did something you didn't approve of…please forgive me?"

"What's going on here, Adele?" demanded AJ.

"I brought her a present and was teasing her, she misunderstood me," said Adele. "Grace, please forgive me, I would never take your gift back. It's yours to keep whether you wear everyday or put it in a drawer and just look at it."

"What did you bring her, Adele?" he asked.

Grace held up the scarf replied, "She bought me this scarf."

"That's pretty, it'll match your beautiful green eyes."

Blushing, Grace tried on the scarf for the very first time.

Pleased with her choice, Adele said, "I just knew that scarf was meant for you, Grace."

"Thank you again, Adele, I will treasure it always. This is the very first gift I've ever received and you'll never know how much it means to me."

"Dinner is just about ready so we had better go on downstairs," AJ told Grace and Adele. "Maybe when we go out to the movie tomorrow night, you can wear your new scarf," he said as they walked down the steps.

"What movie are you going to see? There are several that I've been wanting to go to," Adele said.

Although Grace really liked Adele, her heart dropped a bit as she had wanted to go to the movie alone with AJ.

"Sorry, sis, but I don't usually take family along on my dates. You'll have to catch the movies you want to see on your own," smiled AJ.

"You could make an exception just this once, AJ!"

"Adele, she is only going to be visiting for three days, and I would like to spend some time alone with her." At his comment, Grace blushed and hung her head, but she was hiding a secret smile because she to wanted to be alone with AJ.

"Alright," Adele huffed. "I have Wednesday afternoon off and Grace and I are going shopping without you big brother!"

"If that's what Grace wants to do, then it's fine with me," he told her.

"I don't have any money, but window shopping would be fine," replied Grace.

"We have to do more than window shop, we have to at least go in and try some things on," smiled Adele.

"Don't they get upset, in the store, if you do that and don't buy anything?" asked Grace.

"No, most places are used to it," replied Adele.

Josephine called from down stairs and said, "Dinner is ready, you three. Come on down to the table and let's eat."

To be continued…..


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

The three joined Josephine in the dining room and took their seats. Josephine looked at Grace and asked, "Would you do us the honor of saying the blessing."

As they all bowed their heads Grace said, "Lord, I ask Your blessing on this wonderful family that has taken in a stranger and treated her as if she belonged in this home. Watch over and protect them. Thank you for this wonderful meal prepared in Your honor by Josephine's loving hands, and to nourish our bodies. Keep us in Your care. Amen."

Josephine thanked Grace with tears in her eyes, while AJ placed his hand gently over Grace's and said a soft, "Thank you, that was beautiful."

In the meantime, Adele had started passing around the chicken and dumplings. AJ passed a bowl to Grace and said, "Try these new peas and pearl onions, they're from mom's garden."

"Everything looks delicious," smiled Grace.

"Everyone should save room for dessert, I made a special pie."

AJ, knowing what it was, smiled, but said nothing. When the chicken and dumplings made it to AJ, he scooped out a double helping and then sat them on the table.

"Mom, AJ is hogging the dumplings again!" exclaimed Adele.

"Hush! He's a growing boy," replied his mother.

"What do you mean? He is twenty-eight and should be full grown by now!"

"You're just jealous that I'm older than you," laughed AJ.

"Oh yes, I'm just so jealous of those eleven minutes that you're older than I am. Just promise me that you'll die eleven minutes before I do, so I'll have eleven minutes on earth without you…like you were without me," replied Adele.

"Oh, please don't talk about anyone dying! I watched my mother die, and it's not something that I'll ever forget," said Grace with a catch in her voice.

"Dear, don't let these two children of mine bother you. If they can't behave they won't get any pie for dessert," said Josephine.

"Wait a minute, I didn't do anything," AJ protested trying to lighten the mood at the table.

"Oh he's just sucking up because we are going to have strawberry/rhubarb pie," said Adele.

"Mom, she spoiled your surprise," AJ tattled, just like he would when he was twenty years younger.

Josephine, speaking to Grace, said, "You know, one of the nurses at the hospital, when these two were born, offered to take one of them off my hands, and it's times like these that I wish I had taken her up on it!"

"You know you would have kept me, mom, because I was your son," AJ replied.

"And you know she would have regretted every moment of it, because you're the trouble maker," chimed in Adele, as Grace was giggling over the argument that sounded like it had been played out a thousand times before.

Josephine, sighing over the antics of her children, got up and began to clear some of the things off the table so she could serve the pie. "Mom, why don't we save the pie for later, after eating so much, I'm stuffed right now," said Adele.

"And if we wait, it'll give us time to make some coffee-can ice cream," replied AJ.

"What in the world is coffee-can ice cream?" asked Grace.

AJ looked at Grace, in shock, that she didn't know what he was talking about, and Adele replied, "It's the only thing AJ can cook."

"Now, don't tease your brother, Adele. That's why men get married, so they don't have to cook."

"Yeah, like Marcella ever cooked a day in her life," sneered Adele.

"Adele, can we please not talk about Marcella?" AJ asked quietly.

Sensing that she had really hurt her brother, Adele apologized softly, and said, "I'll go and check to see if we have all the ingredients to fix your treat."

Grabbing Grace by the hand, AJ pulled her into the kitchen with him. "What flavor ice cream do you want with your strawberry/rhubarb pie, Grace?"

"You're going to make homemade ice cream? Isn't that a lot of hard work?" asked Grace.

Adele sighed, "Yeah, as long as you're not the one at the top of the hill."

Grace said, "Well strawberry ice cream would be good with that pie."

Pulling some of the fresh picked strawberries out of the fridge, AJ handed them to Adele, so she could fill the small coffee can with sugar, cream, vanilla, and strawberries. AJ packed the larger coffee can full of rock salt, and then placed the smaller coffee can in it. Putting in more rock salt, he taped the lid on with a liberal amount of duct tape. He took Grace by the hand, grabbed the coffee cans with the other and headed out the back door.

To be continued…..


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Once outside AJ stopped at the top of the hill and handed Grace the strange looking ice cream maker. "When I get to the bottom of the hill roll it to me," he instructed her. AJ took off at a lope down the steep hill. At the bottom, he looked back up at her and waited. Grace bent over, laid the coffee can on its side, and then gave it a strong push over the hill toward AJ. It bounced and rolled its way down the hill, finally coming to a stop when AJ caught it. Grinning, he picked it up, and ran back up the hill. AJ handed the coffee can to Grace and said, "Ok, two more times and it'll be done," and turned and ran down the hill again.

Grace, realizing that it wasn't fair to AJ, to run up and down the hill every time, decided she would take the next turn. Waiting until AJ reached the bottom; she started the procedure over again. Once again he picked it up, and started back up the hill. Reaching the top slightly out of breath, he was prepared to hand it to Grace when she said, "No you keep it," and with a grin she took off running down the hill.

"Hey, I could have done that!" he yelled to her back as she ran off.

When Grace reached the bottom of the hill, AJ started the coffee can moving and raced down after it. Reaching the bottom, seconds before the coffee can did, he scooped it up and then turned around to kiss Grace.

Taken by surprise, in mid-laugh, her mouth was open and this allowed AJ to slip his tongue into Grace's mouth. She pulled back in shock and AJ looking contrite told her, "I'm sorry for startling you, Grace. It's just that whenever I'm with you, I find I want you in my arms."

"But why were you putting your tongue in my mouth?" she asked with a quiver in her voice.

"It's called French kissing, and it's a way of showing you how much I feel for you," replied AJ. "Did you not like it, or were you just startled?"

"It felt alright, but it was such a shock…I didn't know people kissed like that," responded Grace.

"Would you like to try again? If I took it slowly this time?" AJ asked.

When she shyly nodded, AJ stepped up to her and was going to kiss her, when Josephine yelled from the back door, "Is that ice cream about done yet, you two?"

Jumping apart guiltily, they gave each other rueful smiles and walked back up the hill holding hands. Just before they went in the back door AJ whispered, "Later," and winked at her.

Still blushing when they got in the kitchen, Josephine and Adele both saw this and pretended not to notice.

Grace watched in fascination; as AJ undid the duct tape and opened the larger coffee can pulling out the smaller one. Opening the lid, he reached into a nearby drawer, and taking out a spoon, scooped up some of the sweet treat and offered it to Grace to sample. Her very first taste of homemade ice cream was like ambrosia. The cold, sweet taste of strawberries filled her mouth and melted on her tongue. She closed her eyes in bliss and AJ felt himself getting hard as he pictured that look on her face as he was making love to her. Biting down on a frozen piece of strawberry made Grace sigh in pleasure. AJ had to quickly place the can and the spoon on the counter before beating a hasty retreat, so he would not embarrass himself.

"Where did AJ go in such a hurry?" asked Grace innocently.

Snickering, Adele replied, "I think he must have gotten over heated making the ice cream."

"Well, its no wonder…he ran up and down the hill three times," replied Grace.

Josephine, trying hard to keep a straight face, realized that she really was going to have to have that little talk with Grace when they finished their ice cream.

To be continued…..


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

When they had finished the delicious homemade pie and ice cream Josephine sent AJ and Adele into the kitchen to do dishes. AJ was about to protest when his mother gave him 'that' look and he knew it was time for Grace's sex talk. Grace said, "Maybe Adele and I could do the dishes. Father always did say it was women's work."

Yanking the protesting Adele with him AJ explained what was going on when they got into the kitchen. He had to stop Adele from going back and assisting in the talk.

Asking Grace to join her on the front porch swing, Josephine explained that she wanted to have a talk with her. Being able to read people because of the work she did, Grace realized that Josephine wanted to talk to her about how to make a baby. AJ must have told her that she was clueless, and Grace blushed in embarrassment.

Once settled on the porch swing, Josephine tenderly looked at the young girl sitting next to her, "Grace," she began, "AJ told me that you had never been told the facts of life, or at least what you had been told was…well…somewhat inaccurate."

"Yes, Ma'am, my mother died when I was very young and my father thought it was inappropriate to talk about such things," replied Grace.

"Well, my mother didn't have this conversation with me until my wedding night, but in this day and age it seems that young girls need to know before then. Not that I'm saying you might be promiscuous, but you should at least know what kind of touching will lead to babies, instead of what you've been told in the past."

"I appreciate you taking the time to explain all this to me. You have opened up your home to me and made me feel a part of your family."

"Well, my dear, I have a feeling that if AJ has his way, you might someday actually be a part of this family," smiled Josephine.

Stunned Grace asked, "Do you think he has those kinds of feeling for me already?"

"No, my dear…I know he does," replied Josephine. "I know my son very well and I'm sure he has fallen in love with you."

"I think I'm beginning to fall in love with him too."

"How do you feel about the fact that he is a divorced man?" she asked.

"I feel so sorry that he can't be with his daughter whom he loves so very much. But, as for the divorce, it doesn't look like he had much choice."

"No, but I was just wondering how your father might feel, if you were to become involved with a previously married man."

"I would hope that he would understand and approve, but in the end it really is my choice."

"Well then, we should probably get back to our original discussion. How much do you know about the sex act itself?"

"Father said that I shouldn't let a boy touch or kiss me because it leads down the road to hell and damnation."

Trying to keep from laughing Josephine told her, "If kissing could cause babies then the world would be way more populated than it is."

"Then I'm glad that it doesn't, because AJ has already kissed me six times," she replied shyly.

Josephine thought back to the days when she could still count the number of times she had been kissed. "Grace, as much as I'd like to tell you that the love making act only happens between married people, I'm sure that in this day and age, you know that isn't true. I'll tell you what I told my own daughter, though, as much as I would wish for you to wait until you were married, if you can't, you should at least be with someone you love very deeply."

"It would be sin to make love before I was married," Grace said.

"Grace, that is something that you must use your own judgment on when the time comes," Josephine told her. "Now the first time that you are with a man it will hurt just a little bit no matter how gentle and tender he is. Your virginity is something you can only give once, and if you give it to the right man, it will be a gift he will treasure all your life together."

To be continued…..


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

"Why will it hurt only the first time?" asked Grace.

"Because you have a membrane inside of you that will be broken when he makes love to you and once broken, it will never hurt again."

"How does he break this membrane?"

"My dear, how much do you know about the male anatomy?" asked Josephine.

"Only what you can see in public," replied Grace.

"A man and woman are not built the same way. The area were your monthly flow comes from is called your vagina. A man doesn't have that. He has a penis and testicles. A penis is roughly the same shape as a banana and when your husband puts it inside your vagina and breaks your maidenhead as he makes love to you, that's how you can become pregnant."

"I wonder why father lied to me?" asked Grace.

"He was probably trying to keep you chaste, my dear. Fathers are very protective of there daughters."

"I feel like such a fool by telling AJ what I did today."

"No, my dear, you were only repeating what you had been told. However, although I trust my son in most things, he is a red blooded young man and a sailor, who has been out to sea for quite some time until this trip home, he has also been married, so I know he is sexually active. If he should become a bit forward with you…in other words…try more than just kissing you…then you need to make it clear to him when you become uncomfortable with anything he might be doing."

"What do you mean by making me feel uncomfortable in his touching me?"

"He might want to caress your breasts."

Crossing her arms across her chest and blushing she asked, "Do you think he would want to do that with me?"

"My dear, if he loves, you I'm sure he will want to, because it feels very good for both the man and the woman."

"If it feels very good than it wouldn't make me feel uncomfortable would it?"

"It could make you feel other things," replied Josephine.

"Other things? Like what?"

"When a woman is aroused by a man, when he kisses, touches, and caresses her, she can get a tingle between her legs and that is preparing her for the act of making love. Those feelings are what can go to your head and make you forget that the love making act should be kept for the marriage bed."

"Do you think that AJ has done that to someone other than his wife?" asked Grace.

"That's not my place to say, Grace. That's a question only AJ can answer for you," replied Josephine.

The Chegwidden twins finished doing dishes and came out to join their mother and guest on the porch. "Are we interrupting anything, mother?" asked AJ.

"No we've finished our conversation, son," replied Josephine.

"Then if you don't mind, and Grace would like to, I would like to take her for a walk," said AJ.

Grace nodded and AJ reached out his hand, taking hers they left the porch and started around toward the back of the house and down the hill. "Thank you, AJ, for having your mother speak to me. It was a big help."

"Did she say anything that distressed or bothered you?" asked AJ.

"Not really, it was just so much different than the way father explained it to me."

"So you do know now that if I hold you and kiss you we won't be making a baby."

"Yes, your mother explained it all to me, tonight. Have you had many women in your life?" asked Grace.

"You know I've been married and I had dated several girls before I got married, but since my divorce there hasn't been anyone, because I still felt like I was married, however those feelings have recently changed."

Blushing she asked, "What I was trying to find out is have you made love to anyone other than your wife?"

"There were a few women before I was married, but there hasn't been anyone since my divorce for the reasons I told you earlier."

"How can you make love to a woman you don't love?"

"It's not always making love, Grace. Sometimes its just sex."

"How can you tell the difference?"

He stopped their walk and turned to face her. Cupping her face with both hands and tilting it up he looked into her beautiful green eyes. "When all you can think about is the other person, and you want to be with them every waking moment, then it's love."

To be continued…..


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

"That's the way I feel about you, AJ," Grace shyly whispered.

"And I feel the same about you, my beautiful, Grace," he replied, just before he bent and kissed her tenderly on the lips.

Placing her hands upon his shoulders, she then slid them around AJ's neck and leaned into him, returning his kiss in full measure. Just as he had promised earlier, he traced the seam of her lips with the tip of his tongue, as if asking permission to enter. Now, knowing what she did, Grace sighed in pleasure, and allowed AJ to slide his tongue into her mouth. As his tongue caressed hers, Grace remembered what Josephine had said about the tingle between her legs.

Stroking the nape of her neck, he moved his mouth down to kiss her shoulder and sent shivers up her spine. Moving his hands down her back he pulled her closer and rested them on the side of her hips. Grace felt something hard bump against her tummy and wondered what it was. She quickly forgot all about that when AJ cupped her breasts and ran his thumb over her nipple. Startled she was like a deer caught in the headlights, she was frozen in place, "Grace, my love, I want to love you."

Wanting more than anything in the world to remain in AJ's strong arms, she knew that it would be wrong. Slowly backing away she said, "AJ, I love you, but I can't make love to you. Don't you see, for me, it would be wrong without our being married?"

Taking her hand in his and kissing her palm, he said, "I understand and will honor your wishes, my darling. But someday I'll teach you the joys of being a woman."

"And I'll be looking forward to that day, my love," she said blushing. "As for now, I think we had better start back toward the house."

Stealing one final kiss, AJ then turned and walking hand in hand they made their way back home. Going up the front porch steps, and seeing that his mother and Adele had gone inside, he asked, "Would you like to sit outside and swing for a little while?"

"I'm just afraid that if we did that, we would end up in each others arms again, and I wouldn't have the strength to tell you 'no'."

"Very well, we'll go inside and visit with mom and Adele."

Sitting at the kitchen table Adele and Josephine were just about to play gin rummy. "Hey, you two would you like to join us in a wild game of cards?" asked Adele.

"Father says that playing cards is sinful," then looking at the indulgent look on Adele and Josephine's face she said, "but I'm guessing that was just as incorrect as some of the other things he told me."

"Well, I would classify playing strip poker with a bunch of guys as sinful, but gin rummy with us hardly qualifies."

"Strip poker?" squeaked Grace.

"Adele, just because you do things like that, don't even suggest that Grace would even consider it!" insisted AJ.

"Pay them no mind, Grace. Adele was only teasing and she should know better," said Josephine.

"Sorry, mom," apologized Adele.

Pulling out a chair for Grace, AJ took a seat for himself. Explaining the rules for her, they dealt out a practice hand face up. Once they were sure she had the hang of it, the play started in earnest, and it was actually getting quite late, before Adele reluctantly admitted she had to get to bed because she had to get up early and go to work in the morning. AJ jumped to his feet and said, "I'll walk Grace to her room."

Remembering the blush on Grace's cheeks when she came in the house, Adele linked her arm with Grace's and said, "I think I'd better do that, brother dear."

Looking at Grace and nodding understanding he said, "Yes, that may be best."

After the two girls had left the room, Josephine looked at her son and said, "That was wise of you. I just hope that you are being that way when you are alone with her."

"I love her, mother, it's difficult, but I am trying."

"Just remember when she says 'no' to listen."

"The problem is, she's having a hard time saying 'no'," he admitted.

To be continued…..


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

"Then I hope your intentions toward her are honorable, AJ," replied Josephine.

"They are, mother."

"So you intend to marry her?"

"After a proper courting, if she'll have me."

"She will, son. She's already in love with you."

"I know, she told me so tonight," replied AJ.

Looking down at her left hand Josephine said, "Well, I always meant for you to have this for your bride, but you and Marcella married so quickly that I never had the chance to give it to you," as she slide her wedding and engagement ring off her finger. Handing him the engagement ring, she tenderly placed her wedding band back on her hand. "You might need to have it sized for Grace's finger, she's so small."

Choked up and with tears in his eyes, he took the ring from his mother and put it in his breast pocket. Taking her in his arms and said, "Thank you, mother. I want you to know that I love and appreciate you." Kissing her on her cheek he went on up stairs to bed.

Tuesday morning dawned bright and clear. Grace got up early in the hopes of making breakfast for everyone, but found Josephine already at the stove. "Oh," she sighed, disappointed.

"Is something wrong, Grace?" asked Josephine.

"No, I just was hoping to get up early enough to make breakfast for all of you. You have been so good to me I wanted to do something nice for everyone."

"My dear, just having you here is a joy," replied Josephine. "You don't need to do anything at all for us."

"I know I don't have to, but I would still like to," said Grace.

"What about if we take some time this afternoon and I teach you how to make some of AJ's favorite dishes? You know that my mother always told me that the fastest way to a man's heart is though his stomach, but I'm pretty sure you already have my son's heart."

Blushing she replied, "I'd love it if you taught me some of his favorite dishes. I know that he loves your cooking and I'm sure that the Navy doesn't feed him near as well as you do."

"AJ's favorite dish is chili."

"That is easy! All you have to do is open a can and warm it up."

"No, no, child, that's not the way you make Texas chili, especially the way AJ likes it."

"Well then, how do you fix it?"

"First we have to go to the garden and pick some ripe tomato's, peppers, and then gather some herbs and spices."

"But how in the world do you know what to put in it? Do you use the ingredient list on the back of the can?" asked Grace.

"No dear, it's an old family recipe that I know by heart. However, I'd be more than happy to teach it to you."

"If it's AJ's favorite, then I definitely want to learn it for him," Grace said.

"Alright, let's get breakfast over and send Adele off to work. I'm sure that I can find some errands for AJ to run in town and then we can start dinner."

"Start dinner right after breakfast?!" exclaimed Grace. "Why start it so soon?"

"To make really good chili, it needs to simmer all day. You have to let the ingredients mingle with each other. That gives it a special flavor, my dear."

"Wouldn't it be much easier to open a can?"

"We'll make chili my way and chili your way and put them both on the table and see which one is the bigger hit with AJ," replied Josephine.

"You mean like a test?" Grace asked.

"Something like that, my dear."

"That should be fun," smiled Grace.

A short time later Adele and AJ came down for breakfast. Adele ate on the run, as usual, and left for work. When AJ asked Grace what she wanted to do that day, his mother told him that she needed him to go to the grocery store for her.

"Mom, I'd really like to spend time with Grace today," said AJ.

"Yes dear, but Grace wanted chili for dinner tonight, and I need you to go to the store for me. Would you mind picking up a couple cans of chili?" asked Josephine.

"CANS! Since when have you ever used canned chili?" asked AJ stunned.

To be continued…..


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

"Your mother asked me what I wanted and I told her chili. She said she would send you to the grocery store."

"Mom, why don't you make her some of your infamous Texas Chili?" AJ asked.

"I offered, but she wants canned chili, it's what she is used to."

"Well, alright, is there anything else I can get for you while I'm in town?"

"I need you stop by the hardware store, and run by the post office to pick up some stamps. Didn't you have an errand that you wanted to run in town today too?" asked Josephine.

"Mom, this will take me all day long!"

"No, you should be back in time for dinner. You'll have to be…you'll be bringing home the chili."

"Well, Grace, are you ready to go? It might be boring, but at least we'll be together," sighed AJ.

"Uh…I can't," Grace said hurriedly.

"Why not?" he asked suspiciously.

"I promised Josephine I would help her clean house today."

"And as a reward I'm going to teach her how to make pineapple upside down cake."

"That's my favorite!" exclaimed AJ

"I know, dear. So you run along so we can get started."

"You two are up to something! I can feel it! Before I leave, will you go for a short walk in the garden with me, Grace?"

"Go ahead, child, I'll do up the dishes, and then we can start the rest of the cleaning when you get back," Josephine said, knowing what AJ was up to.

Taking his hand and walking outside, he led her to his mother's garden. He pointed out several of the different plants and stopped by the bean vines. AJ held out her hand and took a vine wrapping it around her ring finger. She giggled and asked, "What are you doing?"

"I was just thinking that someday soon I will be putting a ring on this finger."

"Oh, AJ," she sighed happily and leaned her head over on his shoulder.

He tilted her face up to kiss her as he marked the bean vine with his fingernail to size the ring she would wear. Untwining the vine from around her hand, he suggested they head back to the house, and without her seeing it, slipped the vine into his pocket.

Once in the house, he retrieved the list of errands from his mother, then kissing both women on the cheek, he headed into town.

When AJ was gone, Grace insisted on keeping her promise, and helped Josephine clean house, even though Josephine said she didn't have too, Grace told her, she would be a liar if she didn't, so they quickly breezed through the house making beds, dusting, and vacuuming. Grace opened the door to AJ's room, when Josephine told her that there probably wasn't much to be done in there. The Navy had trained him well on how to keep his room spic and span.

Looking in the room, Grace saw that Josephine was indeed right. The bed was made, things were in their place, and there wasn't a speck of dust anywhere. She then took a closer at the room, realizing it could tell her much about the man she was in love with. On the wall, were several pennants with names on them. Josephine explained they were some of his favorite baseball teams. On the top of the bookcase was a ball, bat, and glove, along with a picture of AJ in his high school baseball uniform. Grace giggled as she looked at the picture. "He had more hair here didn't her?" she asked Josephine.

"Yes, he did, but it's probably best not to say anything to AJ about that. He's sensitive about the fact he is losing his hair at such a young age."

"I think he's very handsome just the way he is," Grace told her. She turned to look around the rest of the room diverting her eyes from the bed. Blushing just to think about AJ sleeping there. She saw on this bedside table a more recent picture of AJ and a little girl. "Is this his daughter?" asked Grace

"Yes, that's Francesca," replied Josephine.

Next to the picture of AJ and his daughter was a picture frame that had been turned over on its face. Picking it up, Grace saw that it was a picture of AJ in a dress uniform and a dark haired woman in a wedding gown. Josephine said softly behind her, "And that's Marcella."

To be continued…..


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

"Why was the picture face down?" Grace asked.

"AJ hasn't been in the room in quite some time. The last time he was, I think he still believed that he and Marcella might get back together. But since then, she's remarried, and he met you."

"He must have loved her very much."

"If he loved her all that much, he would have followed her to Italy, and worked things out," said Josephine. "I just hope he doesn't lose contact with his daughter."

Placing the picture back where she found it, Grace answered, "I hope so too. He really loves her. I could tell when he told me about her."

"Well, we should get out to the garden and get things going," Josephine said.

They each took a large basket from the kitchen and headed out to the garden to gather chili fixings. Josephine showed her how to chose the ripest tomatoes and showed her which peppers they were going to use then handed her the onions. "I don't grow my own mushrooms, but I have some in the house," Josephine explained.

"It all sounds so complicated," frowned Grace.

"Not if you just take your time and follow the recipe," smiled Josephine, as she handed Grace some garlic to put in her basket.

They walked back to the house and Josephine got out her large kettle. She went to the pantry and brought out three quarts of tomato juice she had put up the year before. "You want to start with a good stock," she said to Grace as she poured the juice into the kettle and put a low fire on under it. "Next we need to chop up the fresh tomatoes, onions, and garlic. The peppers need to be cut down the center and the seeds removed then chopped up with the rest."

A short time later, Josephine heard a sniffle coming from her companion. Turning she saw tears running down Grace's face as she chopped the onion. Trying to keep from laughing, Josephine took her to the sink and ran her wrists under the cold water, explaining that, that would help keep her eyes from stinging.

Then going to the fridge, she pulled out some ground beef. Placing it in the cast iron skillet to brown, she told Grace, "You could use any kind of ground meat, but AJ's favorites are beef, or deer when it's available. But I didn't know he was coming home on leave, so I didn't have a chance to stock up on venison. Then you add chili powder and salt to taste," Josephine told her, and then grinning, she said, "Now, here is my secret ingredient…even AJ doesn't know this. I put in just a bit of sugar…"

"Sugar!?" Grace exclaimed.

"Yes," Josephine answered. "It cuts the acidity of the tomatoes." She then added several cans of kidney beans as well as the meat once it had browned. "Then we put the lid on and go have a cup of tea and put our feet up," smiled Josephine.

When AJ got into town, he went into the nearest jewelry store, knowing that sizing the ring would take the longest, and he wanted to be sure he had it to take back home with him today. Taking the ring and bean vine out of his pocket, and laying it on the counter he told the jeweler, "I want this ring sized to match the bean vine."

The jeweler frowning picked up the vine and said, "I am assuming that you used this to measure the young ladies finger?"

"You assumed correctly," he told the jeweler.

"And when would you like to have then done by?" he asked.

"As soon as possible. I was hoping to present it to the young lady this evening," replied AJ.

"Can you be by to pick it up around l:30 PM?" asked the jeweler.

"Yes, that would be perfect," said AJ.

The jeweler looked down at the ring with a center pearl surrounded by tiny diamond chips set in white gold, said, "Sir, because June is right around the corner and pearl is the birthstone for the month, we have all our pearls on sale right now, and have a lovely necklace with diamond chips in the clasp of white gold that would be a beautiful compliment with this ring," the jeweler told AJ. "They're cultured pearls not natural, but this ring is cultured also. Would you like to see the necklace?"

To be continued…..


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

"Yes, please," AJ answered.

Bringing the necklace out of the case and showing it to AJ he said, "It's only a $l59.00 now, normally it would be $220.00."

AJ looked at the necklace and imagined around Grace's delicate neck, and knew he had to have it for her. "Can you put the ring in a box? And I'd like the necklace gift wrapped."

He wrote out a check showing his drivers license and Navy I.D. and the jeweler said, "Thank you Lieutenant Chegwidden I will have these ready for you by l:30 PM."

"And please give the ring a good cleaning," he said as he was walking out the door.

Then AJ went to the post office and hardware store. Seeing that it was lunchtime he tried to find his friend Jeff Carter who managed the hardware store, but they'd had a huge delivery that had arrived late and he was in the back helping unload the truck. Jeff told him he would be there until well after closing as it was and he couldn't take off. AJ then decide to check and see if Adele would like to have lunch with him. He knew better than to tell her she was his second choice, or she would be mad at him. Walking in the store where she worked he saw her waiting on a customer. He stood by patiently until she was through then walked up to her and asked, "Hey, sis, how about having lunch me?"

"That depends on who's buying…" asked Adele.

"My treat, since we hardly spend any time together anymore."

"Then lead on, brother. I'm yours for an hour," replied Adele.

He led her down the street to a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant and seating her, ordered for both of them. Bringing back the food, and sitting down, he smiled and said, "I know it's not mom's, but it sure smells good."

"I've eaten here once before and the biscuits are great and so is the gravy, but don't tell mom I said so," replied Adele.

Trying the mashed potatoes and gravy, he agreed with her and promised not to tell their mother that they like this gravy so well.

"I noticed mom wasn't wearing her engagement ring this morning, AJ," smiled Adele. "Are you going to ask Grace to marry you?"

"Yes, she gave me the ring last night and it's at the jewelers now, being cleaned and sized."

"When are you going to ask her?" asked Adele.

"Tonight after dinner. I was going to take her for a walk and ask her then."

"AJ, how do you think this marriage is going to last any longer than your first, if you're always going off to sea?" Adele asked, putting her hand on his arm with sincere concern on her face.

"Grace is not like Marcella, she's not flighty and given to temper tantrums. Grace is also used to traveling around, so I doubt that this will be a major problem. I won't always be going away like this. Eventually I'll be getting too old, you have to be in peak condition physically to do what I do. I have been thinking about going to law school in a few years."

"A lawyer? You!? That's funny, pull the other leg, AJ!" replied Adele.

"What are you talking about? I'd make a great lawyer," said AJ.

"As long as you never go up against a woman in court. You never win an argument with mom or me."

"That's because I love you guys and let you win, sis," he grinned.

Adele snorted and almost choked on the bite of coleslaw she had taken. "Oh right!" she exclaimed. "I guess it's a good thing then that you'll be married first so you'll never be in love with any lawyer you come up against."

"Don't you know that the military frowns on their people falling in love with each other? That's why I'm glad that Grace has nothing to do with the military. It would be unbearable to love someone, but be duty bound not to act on it."

"Are you telling me you would choose duty over love?" Adele asked shocked.

"I'm glad I'll never have to make that decision, because Grace and I'll be married."

To be continued…..


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

"Only if she says yes, brother dear," teased Adele.

"She will, you'll be getting a new sister-in-law before long."

"I love Grace already. Are you two planning on starting a family anytime soon?"

"We haven't talked about it, but if she is willing, than I would like more children."

"I think Grace would probably be a good mother. Have you thought of how her father is going to react to you two being engaged? From the one meeting I had with him, he doesn't seem to be a very reasonable man."

"I am sure he'll not be pleased. He's had Grace under his control her entire life and I'm positive he won't want to lose his meal ticket."

"Well, until the two of you have children, is there any reason she couldn't continue her work, as she is doing? When you're at sea it would give her something to do."

"And maybe her father would be more cooperative, if he knew that I had no objection to her continue traveling with him when I'm not at home. So…the two of you are going shopping tomorrow afternoon?"

"Yes, I get off at one and thought Grace might enjoy trying new clothes."

AJ handed her Adele a twenty dollar bill and told her, "Buy her something she likes.'

"I had already intended to, brother."

"Since she doesn't drive, I thought I'd bring her into town a little early and we could have a picnic in the park and then the two of you could shop," replied AJ.

"That sounds like a romantic idea, as long as you end it at the park, and don't try to go shopping with the two of us."

"No, I'll let you two shop on your own." Noticing the time AJ reminded Adele that she had to get back to work and he still needed to stop and the grocery and jewelry stores before going home.

Making his last two stops, AJ was about to head home, when he saw three people exit the pet shop across the street. The mother and father were smiling indulgently at the little girl walking in front of them clutching a puppy in her arms. Seeing the look of joy on the child's face, AJ knew that Grace would act the same way. Making a beeline across the street, he went into the pet store and back to the dog section.

"May I help you sir?" a female clerk asked him.

Smiling at her, he told her he was looking for a small dog for his fiancée. The clerk tried to hide a look of disappointment as she learned that the handsome young man was engaged. "We have three breeds of puppies right now that won't get very big when they are full grown. We have a Maltese, which will be six to nine pounds when full grown. We have a litter of beagles and Chihuahuas; the beagles will be about twenty-two to twenty-five pounds with fully-grown, and the Chihuahua puppies will be two to six pounds, however they won't be able to leave their mother for a another week."

AJ followed the girl as she pointed to the different dogs available and when he saw the pure white Maltese he knew immediately that this was the puppy for Grace. She was dainty and beautiful, just as the adorable puppy was. They would be a perfect pair and company for each other when he had to be away from home. Purchasing the $l50.00 purebred puppy, took just about all of his on-hand cash. He had just enough left over to buy a collar, leash, bowl, and some puppy food for her.

They put a sweet little pink bow on top the puppy's head when AJ told them the she was going to be a gift. He smiled indulgently down at the tiny ball of fluff and wondered what Grace would name her. As he clipped her collar and leash on, an idea came to him. He took her engagement ring from his pocket, out of the box, and put it on the doggie's collar, figuring he would tell her they were a package deal. She couldn't have one without the other.

To be continued…..


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

AJ was soon headed home, all of his mother's and his own errands accomplished. He still shuddered over the idea of canned chili and hoped that he might persuade his mother to someday teach Grace how to make homemade chili for him. He didn't think he would be able to eat canned chili very often, no matter how much he loved Grace.

Pulling up in front of the house, AJ get out and reached back inside for the puppy. Walking into the living room AJ saw that both women were asleep with their feet propped up and tea cups near at hand. He silently went over to Grace and sat the puppy onto her lap. Wiggling its way up her body she licked Grace on the cheek. Jolted from sound sleep, Grace awoke with a startled cry and almost tumbled the puppy off her body. Her cry woke Josephine. "Hey, what's going on you two?"

"Nothing, mother, I was just giving Grace a surprise," said AJ.

"Well, it didn't sound to me, like she was very fond of it," replied Josephine.

But AJ was not really listening to his mother, as he was looking at Grace.

Grace looked from him, to the puppy, and back again, with wonder in her eyes. She asked in almost a reverent whisper, "He's for me?"

"The puppy's a she, but yes she's for you," AJ said with a smile.

Picking her up and burying her face in her fur Grace stated to giggle. "What am I going to name her?"

"Snowball," replied Josephine.

"Snowball, in Texas, in the summer, mother?" asked AJ.

"Well, she looks like one," laughed Josephine. "What would you name her then, smarty pants?"

"Considering Grace's work, and the puppy's color, how about Angel or Hope?" he suggested then added. "But in the end, she is Grace's puppy, so whatever she likes."

"I think I like the name Angel, so I'll call her that," replied Grace.

"You should put her on the floor and see if she will come to it," suggested AJ.

Placing the puppy on the floor, Grace knelt down and called softly, "Angel," and the puppy came right to her. "She already knows her name!" smiled Grace.

Josephine smiled indulgently, "More likely she just wants to be held."

"Now, mother, don't spoil her fun," AJ said.

"I'm so happy, AJ! No one could spoil my fun tonight," grinned Grace.

"What is that on the collar, son?" asked Josephine.

"It's another surprise for Grace," grinned AJ.

Looking closer, Grace saw the ring attached to the collar, and quickly took it off. "Oh, AJ, it's so beautiful," she sighed.

"It's almost as beautiful as you are, Grace. If you will do me the honor of marrying me, then please let me put the ring on your finger."

Smiling, with tears in her eyes, she held out her hand and gave him the ring. When he took the ring, she lifted her finger up for him to slide it on. Tenderly taking her hand he slid the ring in place. It fit perfectly.

"Oh my! How did you know my size?" she asked.

"A little bean vine told me…early this morning," winked AJ.

Understanding dawned, and neither of them noticed that Josephine had left the room, when AJ took Grace into his arms and kissed her. The kiss only lasted a moment because the puppy was running around their feet and barking. The leash became tangled around them and caused them to fall.

Hearing the thud, Josephine came rushing back into the room, to find Grace lying on top of AJ. When they had stated to fall he had twisted his body to take the brunt of the fall to the floor. "My goodness! What has happened here? Can't leave the two of you alone for a minute," laughed Josephine.

"The three of us, mother. The fall was all Angel's fault."

"Oh sure! Blame it on that poor helpless puppy," replied Josephine, as she laughed and walked across the room. Unhooking the leash from the puppy's collar, leaving the leash still tangled around the ankles of the two young people, she asked, "Would you like a nice bowl of water, Angel?" as she carried the puppy towards the kitchen.

"Mom!" AJ protested.

Turning back towards her son, she asked, "I suppose you left the groceries in the car?"

"I was going to bring them in…but I seem to be tied up at the moment."

Giving a beleaguered sighed, Josephine said, "Always excuses from that one," as she turned and went outside to get the groceries herself.

To be continued…..


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

When they were once again alone AJ looked up into Grace's face, "I was planning on giving you this later, but since we're not going anywhere any time soon if you'll just reach into my left front pants pocket and pull out the package there."

Grace, blushing, did as she was told and AJ squirmed under her. Once the package was free she felt something hard pressing against her stomach. AJ tried to hide his body's uncontrollable reaction to Grace, but he realized he was fighting a losing battle. Rolling her off him he tried to sit up and get their feet free before he embarrassed himself. Grace appeared not to notice because she was busy opening the gift.

As AJ finally got the leash undone, he looked up at Grace with a smile, and said, "Well, I know we wanted to tie the knot, but this is not what I had in mind."

Grace started giggling at his comment until she opened the jewelry box in her hand and she saw the pearl necklace. "Oh, AJ, it's beautiful. You shouldn't have," she said with tears in her eyes. "I've never received so many presents in my life. And all so special."

"You are a very special person, Grace, and you deserve all these presents and much more," AJ told her. "You'd better get use to getting presents, because when we get married I'm going to shower you with gifts, my love."

"You're too good to me," she said blushing, but pleased at his comment.

"I also plan on showering you with a few children. That is, if you want to have children."

"I want to have your children, AJ," smiled Grace shyly.

"Maybe once we have a baby in the house, I could convince Marcella to let Francesca come for a visit. That way she could meet her new brother or sister," replied AJ.

"That would be wonderful. I would so like to meet your daughter."

"I'm sure she'll love you," said AJ.

"I hope so, but what if she doesn't?" asked Grace nervously.

"Sometimes it takes children awhile to warm up, but I bet Angel will be good at breaking the ice."

"Well, I'll have to work on teaching her some tricks," smiled Grace at the thought of Angel shaking hands with AJ. "AJ, I know so little about you're military life. When will you be going back?"

"I'll have to return to duty in a week and a half," replied AJ, sad that he would have to leave her so soon.

"Oh," she said with a soft sigh. "So do you know where you'll be going and when you'll be back?"

"My orders haven't come in yet. I should probably know by the end of the week."

"Should we discuss a wedding date before you ship out, or wait until you are home again on leave?"

"If I get my own command, which there is a good chance I could, it will be six months before I'm home again. I don't suppose there is any chance we could get married before I leave?"

"Father will need to give his blessing."

"Do you really see that happening, Grace?"

"Honestly…no. I guess we could just be married before the justice of the peace. That way we could be married quickly."

"I would definitely want mom and Adele there. Do you think your father would come, even if he didn't approve?"

"The only way he would come, would be to spoil it for me," said Grace sadly.

"Well then, we won't invite him. I'll ask Jeff Carter to be my best man."

"I'll ask Adele if she'll be my maid of honor," replied Grace.

"I'm sure she'd like that. When the two of you go shopping tomorrow, why don't you look for a suit or nice dress to be married in. I'm sure Adele would love to help you pick something out."

"I don't have any money on me, AJ, how can I get a new dress?" she asked with panic in her voice.

"As long as you don't want any thing elaborate I gave Adele some money and told her buy you anything you liked. You can wear your pearl necklace, we will just need to get you a wedding band."

"You are too good to me, AJ. I want you to know that I love you and will make you a good wife."

To be continued…..


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

"I know you will, Grace, and I'll make the best husband that I can, even though I'm away a lot. You can decide if you want to keep working with your father if you'd like, or I'm sure mother and Adele would love for you to stay here with them. If I get my own ship, my pay-grade will go up and maybe the next time I'm home we can go house hunting."

"It all seems like a dream to me. A home of my own, after living in that little trailer for so long."

"I'll keep sending money home out of every check and you put it in the bank for us and you'll see our nest-egg grow so we can go house hunting. Maybe we'll be lucky enough, by then, to know if we'll need a nursery or not."

"I'd like that very much," she smiled shyly. "To have you and a baby, in our very own home, would be perfect."

"Once we start having children, I've been thinking about giving up the sea, and going to law school. That way I could be home with you all the time. I'd still be in the Navy so we might move around a bit, but we'd always have a place of our own."

"Can you be truly happy giving up the sea?" Grace asked.

"It's something I've been thinking about for awhile. What I was doing in the past was for a much younger man. Now that I'll have a family to come home to, having something a little more stable is just the ticket."

"I'll look forward to the day when you're finally home with me every night," Grace smiled.

"So will I," AJ said taking her hand and helping her to her feet.

Holding her hand, they made their way into the kitchen, just in time to see Josephine pour out a can of chili into a pot on the stove. AJ sighed and tried not to let his true feeling of the can chili show on his face. "Mom, can I set the table for you?" he asked avoiding looking at the stove.

"Yes, son, if you don't mind. Grace, why don't you take the pan of cornbread out of the oven?" she asked.

"Do we have honey for that, mom?" AJ asked as Grace moved to do as Josephine suggested.

"In the same pot as always," smiled Josephine.

AJ reached for the honey pot, and placed it on the table, as he was setting it. On one of his trips into the kitchen, Josephine told him she had made a pitcher of iced tea. He grabbed that to take to the table also. Just as all the preparations were done, Adele came in from work. AJ taunted her by saying, "Skipping out on all the work as usual, sis?"

"Some of us have to work for a living…we can't all be on vacation like you," replied Adele.

"I most certainly do work for a living! And you know it Adele Justine Chegwidden."

"Don't call me that! You'd better watch out Albert Jethro, or I'll tell Grace all your deep dark secrets."

Grace was just putting the butter dish on the table when she heard Adele saying this, and asked, "Does he really have deep dark secrets?"

"He stole bubble gum from the five and dime when he six years old," grinned Adele.

Josephine came into the room, carrying a tray full of steaming bowls, and said, " Yes, and he got his hide tanned too."

"Then there was the fourth of July that he tied the firecracker to old lady Stewart's cats tail," tattled Adele.

"That was not me! That was you, Adele, and you know it!" exclaimed AJ.

"Adele! And you let AJ be spanked for that!" said a shocked Josephine.

"Now mom, you know that if I hadn't thought of it, AJ would have…so just think of it as preventive spanking," laughed Adele.

"See, mom, I told you at the time I hadn't done it," AJ told her.

At first, Grace had been confused and worried that this family she had come to love were really in an argument, but then it dawned on her, that they were only teasing each other and she started to giggle.

To be continued…..


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Hearing all the talk in the room, and the laughter, Angel came running in to find out what she was missing, and Grace scooped her up in her arms as Adele exclaimed, "What a cute puppy!" going over to Grace and taking the puppy from her she said, "Oh, AJ, you know I have always wanted a puppy just like this! Thank you so much!"

The look on Grace's face warred between horrified and devastated at the sight of her Angel in Adele's arms. She had come to love Adele like a sister and couldn't deny her the puppy if she really wanted her. Seeing that Angel was licking Adele's face she said, "See, she already loves you," as a tear slides down her cheek.

"Adele, Angel is a present for Grace and not you," AJ said.

"Daughter, you should not torment Grace that way. You know she has such a giving heart that she was willing to give you her gift from AJ, that she already loves," replied Josephine.

Handing the puppy back to Grace, Adele said, "I'm sorry for teasing you, Grace. It's just the way we show affection in this family. No one just comes right out and says they love each other. Right, you big lug?" she pulled back and slugged AJ on the arm.

Looking at her as if he wanted to slug her back, but having been taught by his mother not to hit ladies AJ replied, "Well, it's easy to tell Grace that I love her because she's so loveable, but…" arching an eyebrow at Adele, "There has to be something loveable about a person before you say those things to them."

"Mom, AJ is being mean to me," Adele whined.

"And you deserved every minute of it young lady. Now you two quit your squabbling, and come to the table," ordered Josephine.

With everyone taking their place around the table, Josephine herself said the blessing. To AJ's surprise, Josephine placed two bowls of chili in front of him. "Mom, I can only eat one at a time. Why give me two?' he asked.

"We did something a little different with them, and wanted to see which one you liked best," smiled Josephine.

"So, I am supposed to be the guinea pig?" responded AJ.

"Well, you could just leave off the guinea and be right," Adele giggled.

As Josephine and Grace anxiously waited, AJ picked up his spoon and took a bite of chili from one of the bowls. "This is about what I expected canned chili to taste like. Is the other one, the one you did something to it? It looks different," said AJ.

Josephine and Grace shared a look, and Josephine just encouraged AJ to try the other one without telling him what the difference was. Dipping his spool into the second bowl he took a bite and a smile lit his face. "Mom, this one tastes just like your homemade chili," replied AJ as he took a second bite.

"See, I told you he'd know the difference," said Josephine to Grace.

Smiling Grace said, "Then it's a good thing you taught me how to make it," as she handed AJ a slice of cornbread and taking away the bowl of offending canned chili.

"Mom, that was a dirty trick you pulled," AJ complained. "It was hardly fair that I was the only one that had to eat the canned chili."

"Oh, like one spoon full could hurt you!" Adele taunted him.

Ignoring his sister and looking at Grace, AJ asked with a gentle smile, "So you really learned how to make mom's chili just for me?"

"No, I didn't learn it just for you, I already had a sample and I liked hers better, so I did it for both of us," Grace teased trying to get into the spirit of things.

When dinner was finished, Josephine told Adele that she would have to help with the dishes, so AJ and Grace could get to the movie. Grace was worried that she shouldn't leave Angel alone on her first night. "Would you mind watching over Angel for me, Adele, while we're gone?" asked Grace.

"Not at all! It'll give me a chance to play with her. I think that's a great name for her, by the way."

"AJ thought of it," smiled Grace as she took AJ's offered hand.

Grabbing up the car keys AJ suggested that they needed to get going so they didn't miss the previews. Taking Grace's arm he led her out to the car.

To be continued…..


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

If Grace's laughter was anything to go by, she had enjoyed the movie tremendously. When AJ suggested they stop at the soda shop afterwards, she chatted excitedly about everything in the movie. "That was so wonderful, thank you for taking me to see it," Grace said excitedly.

"If you think that one was good, you need to check out some of the new science fiction ones with all the special effects," smiled AJ.

"I can't imagine anything being more exciting than what we just saw," sighed Grace.

"I guess I'll just have to check and see if one is on and take you to see it so I can prove my point," replied AJ. "You should have seen Star Wars, when it was in the theatres last year."

"Star Wars, what a funny sounding name for a movie," smiled Grace.

"You've never even heard of Star Wars?" asked AJ Incredulously. "It was in theatres for months and it was all they could talk about on television."

"Father doesn't let me watch television…too much sinful temptation."

"Grace, you're twenty years old and you should be able to decide things like that for yourself."

"I will if you'll let me, once we're married," smiled Grace.

"Grace," AJ frowned at her. "There is no 'letting you' about it. Once we're married, you'll be free to make up your own mind about everything, and when there is a decision to make we'll make it together."

"You'd give me that much freedom?" she asked.

"It's not mine to give, darling, it's your right," said AJ.

"What if I make the wrong decision?"

"Then we'll fix it as best we can," said AJ. "Then you'll do better the next time, because you'll have learned from that mistake."

"I hope you're right, it just makes me nervous thinking of taking control of my own life after all these years."

"If you're worried about it, we can make the decisions together at first, until you feel more confident. You can always ask for advice, Grace."

When they finished their ice cream sodas, AJ drove them home. Seeing that the lights were still on in the front room, he asked Grace, "Would it be okay if we sat out here for a little while, so I could kiss you? I don't think I'd get the chance with mom and Adele still up…"

Even in the dim lights of the dashboard AJ could see that Grace was blushing, but she shyly nodded. He opened his arms; she scooted across the seat and into his arms. Lowering his head until their lips met he kissed her tenderly.

Inside the house, Josephine and Adele had heard the car pull up, and when they still hadn't come in after fifteen minutes, Josephine, concerned for Grace's innocence, suggested that Adele take Angel out for her bedtime potty-run. Snickering Adele agreed. Flipping on the front porch light as she went out with Angel on her leash, she waved at AJ and Grace in the car and said, "Oh, you two are home!"

Frowning at his sister, AJ got out of the car, walked around to help Grace out, and said to Adele, "As if you hadn't known."

Grace was busy greeting Angel, so missed the exchange between brother and sister.

Just before lunch the next day, Josephine packed a picnic basket for AJ and Grace, and they drove into town to the park. It was a beautiful spring day and the park was full of mother's with young children. Finding a peaceful area, not too far from the playground equipment, because Grace had said she enjoyed watching the children play, AJ spread out the blanket and began to unpack the hamper.

Grace was watching the children and she noticed when a child followed a bright red ball to the busy street the park was on. "AJ!" she called out sharply. Grace got to her feet and started running after the child. AJ saw what was happening, and his quick reflexes helped him jump to his feet and race towards the child. Passing Grace and managing to pull the child out from in front of the car that had just ran over her ball.

To be continued…..


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

The little girl was sobbing as AJ fell back onto the sidewalk with her in his arms. He didn't realize how narrowly the car had missed her, until he saw the angry cut on her leg from the car's bumper. Kneeling next to them Grace said softly, "Let me have her, AJ. I can help."

Taking the child into her arms as AJ released her, Grace sat on the ground next to him, and placed her hands over the little girls cut leg. Just then the child's mother ran up to them calling out, "Mary Beth! Are you alright, baby?"

Stopping the little girl's mother from taking her from Grace, AJ said, "She's hurt, but Grace can heal her."

"What are you talking about?" she exclaimed never taking her eyes off Grace and her child.

Just then Grace lifted her hands from the little girl's leg and there was no cut, no scar, and no sign that there ever had been.

"You see…she wasn't hurt at all," said the mother holding her arms open for the little girl to run into.

"Mommie, my leg was cut. The lady made it feel all warm and funny and now it's all better," said the little girl, smiling.

"Mary Beth, haven't I told you not to tell fibs!" the mother scolded.

AJ corrected the woman by saying, "She wasn't lying, my fiancée is a faith healer and she just healed your daughter." He helped Grace to her feet and when she took his hand the woman saw blood on Grace's hand. AJ offered Grace his handkerchief as the woman apologized for not believing them. They were on their way back to their blanket when AJ noticed that Grace was limping. Looking down he saw an angry cut on her leg just as there had been on Mary Beth's.

"Grace, how in the world did your leg get cut? I know you weren't hit by that car," asked AJ, scooping her up in his arms and carrying her over to their blanket. Taking a napkin and the water jug from the hamper he was preparing to wipe the blood from her leg, when he turned back, and saw the last of the cut was fading away. His startled eyes shot up to meet hers, and he asked, "Did I just imagine that?"

"No, what you saw was real. When I heal someone, I take on their pain, or injury, but it goes away very quickly," replied Grace.

"So when you healed my mother of her arthritis you…"

"Yes, an hour or so later I was in my trailer, feeling all of her pain. That's why at the revival meetings; I can heal only so many people before I have to take a break. Sometimes it takes me until the next morning to recover from things."

"Grace, why do you do this if it's so dangerous to your health?" asked AJ.

"Because it's the mission that God gave me," replied Grace.

"Darling, I was thinking it would be good for you to continue to work with your father while I was away, but if you became pregnant…what you're doing might endanger the baby."

"I could be careful about who I healed," said Grace.

"So, what you're saying is that you would heal someone with a broken limb because that wouldn't hurt the baby, but that you wouldn't heal someone with cancer because it might?" asked AJ.

"Yes, darling, that is what I meant," Grace said

Taking her hands in his, he said gently, "Grace, how would that look at a revival meeting if you were picking and choosing who you would heal?"

"I hadn't thought of that. I guess it could look like a set up. Maybe I should stop the healing all together, once I'm pregnant."

"I don't want you to be sitting around bored with nothing to do, but I think it would be safest for you and the baby," AJ replied.

"I'm sure I wouldn't be bored preparing for the birth of our child."

Suddenly from out of the blue, AJ remembered Grace telling him about her mother's death, and how her father had been upset with his seven-year-old child, for not healing his dying wife. "Grace?" he asked tentatively.

To be continued…..


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

"Yes, my love?" Grace responded

"Was the fact you take on the injuries of the person you're healing the reason that you were afraid to heal your mother injuries when you were in that car crash?"

Bursting into tears, Grace admitted for the first time to anyone, that it had been her fear that had kept her from saving her mother's life.

AJ took her into his arms, holding her close and rocking her, as if she were a child he said, "Oh, my darling, you were a child. No one should have expected you to do something like that."

"Father expected me to save mother, I can still remember him screaming at me to do so," replied Grace.

"I don't mean to speak ill of your father, Grace, but it was very wrong of him. If Francesca had your gift, I would never have asked something like that of her."

"Not even if it was to save someone you loved, or even yourself?" asked Grace.

"Not even then," AJ replied. "Especially not to save myself. I'd never put someone I loved at risk that way."

"You're such a different man than my father. I think that's the reason I love you so much."

"And I love you too, my darling Grace, but if we don't get you fed soon, you're going to be late for your shopping trip with Adele."

They finished eating, and when they were done, AJ took the picnic basket to the car and then walked with Grace to the store where Adele worked. She was just getting off duty when they arrived and the two girls set off for an afternoon of shopping.

AJ was heading back home, as he drove past the church that his family had attended ever since he was small. He decided to go in and talk to Reverend Dorsey and see how soon he and Grace could be married. Figuring that she would be busy working all weekend, AJ and Reverend Dorsey settled on Monday as a wedding date, as long as Grace would agree. With a smile on his face, and a lightness in his step, AJ went back out to the car, and headed home.

He had just pulled away from the church, when Reverend Dorsey remembered they would have to have blood test done before they could get the license. He decided to call AJ's home and leave a message for him.

Walking into the house, whistling an Elvis tune, AJ found his mother standing in the front room, just inside the door, with her fist firmly planted on her hips, and an incredibly annoyed looked upon her face. "ALBERT JETHRO CHEGWIDDEN, how dare you talk to Reverend Dorsey about setting a wedding date without telling me first?"

Stunned that his mother had found out so quickly, AJ replied, "Mother, I was going to tell you today. Stopping and talking to the Reverend was just an impulse. Things have happened so fast, because I have to ship out again so soon, and Grace and I wish to be married before I leave."

"But five days to plan a wedding, AJ? I'll never be able to get it organized in time," his mother said.

"We don't want anything fancy, just you and Adele to be maid of honor and Jeff Carter to be my best man, maybe Grace's father if he will come on Monday."

"But, AJ, a wedding should be special and you should have all your friends there."

"Other than Jeff, my friends are my shipmates, and while we're in port they're scattered all over the U.S. It would be impossible for them to get here in time. Remember they're on leave with their families too."

"Oh, I hadn't thought about that. If that's what the two of you want, we'll still make it special. I can make a cake, and we can talk to Mr. Madison, the florist, about getting some pretty flowers for the two of you. Since Grace and Adele are shopping now…it's too bad we can't call them and tell Adele to look for a bridesmaids dress…wouldn't it be wonderful if people had phones to carry with them so you could call them when you need to?"

To be continued…..


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

"I would hate that! People able to get a hold of me…even when I wanted to be alone!"

"But it would be so nice, when you needed to tell someone something important, and I hate talking those answering machines, I never know what to say, or how much to say, and I hate waiting for that beep."

"Oh, mom, remember how much you hated learning how to use the microwave, and now, you wouldn't be without it."

"Now, AJ, don't you go giving me that technology lecture of yours! You know I hate change," frowned Josephine.

"Oh! So you don't like being pain free, and you won't like having Grace as a daughter-in-law?"

"That's not the type of changes I was talking about, and you know it, son! And just for that, you can go out and mow the grass."

Adele and Grace entered the ladies department of Nordstrom's and Grace walked over a rack of dresses. Sorting through the ones in her sized she pulled out two white dresses.

"Grace, dear with your sandy blonde hair you should chose a little bit darker color. Why don't you try on this peach dress and this mint green one," suggested Adele.

"But I want to wear white to be married in, Adele," replied Grace.

"You'll want a wedding dress for that, not one of these dresses."

"You don't understand, AJ and I want to be married before his leave is over."

"But that's less than two weeks from now!" Adele exclaimed.

"I know, but he's going to be gone for six months, and we don't want to wait that long to start our life together."

"Does mom know about this?" asked Adele.

"No, we haven't had time to tell her."

"She is going to throw a fit when she finds out that she won't have time to plan a big wedding. When AJ married Marcella they eloped and she always said that if he got married again she didn't want to be cheated out of planning something special for him."

"Well, something special would be nice, as long as it could be arranged quickly."

"Grace, it takes most people a year to plan a big wedding."

"But we don't want a big wedding, we just want something small and personal. I don't even think my dad will come, because he'll be upset about it." Grace looked sad at the thought of not having her only family at her wedding.

"Oh, I'm sure he'll come around once he sees that AJ is a nice guy. But please don't tell my brother I said that," Adele smiled.

"Which dress do you think would be best to get married in?" asked Grace changing the subject away from her father.

"Why don't you try them both on, so we can see how they look," suggested Adele.

Going into the dressing room, Grace came back out minutes later in the first dress. It was a lovely calf length dress, with capped sleeves, and flared out from the waist. It had a mandarin collar and buttoned down the front. It was simple, but elegant. Adele walked around her and said, "That looks wonderful on you, but you really sure try on a few more before we make a decision."

The second dress had a scooped neckline with appliquéd flowers on the top, and ties at the waist that made a pretty bow in the back. It was sleeveless, but had a matching jacket and the straight skirt that came to just below her knees. "Oh, Grace, I think this one is perfect and it's so versatile with the jacket," replied Adele. "We just need to find you a pretty hat and some shoes to go with it."

"I don't want to spend too much of AJ's money. I'm sure I have some shoes at home, which will work. And I don't really need a hat if we're getting married by the justice of the peace," she said.

"You're not going to tell mother that your not getting married in the church, are you?" asked Adele.

To be continued…..


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

"I'd like to get married in the church, but there is just not time to plan a church wedding."

"Well, I don't care, that dress just screams for a hat and I'm going to buy you one. It'll be my gift to you," Adele said taking her hand and dragging her over to the hat department.

"Wait! My clothes are still in the dressing room," exclaimed Grace.

"And they'll still be there when we're done," laughed Adele.

Adele, gave all the hats on display a quick once over and honed in on a sweet little pill box hat with netting on it, that could come down over her face. Picking it up off the stand she placed it on Grace's head and turned her to the mirror. "That's perfect for you," she said.

Grace stood there transfixed, hardly able to believe that the girl there in the mirror was her. "I can't thank you enough for this lovely present, Adele. You're right, it matches my dress perfectly."

"And it's on sale," Adele said looking at the price tag. "Why don't you go back and change into your own clothes, while I pay for this, and I'll meet you back in the dress department?"

"Alright," Grace said taking the hat off and handing it to Adele.

When Grace was gone, Adele said to the clerk, "Hold this for me, for a minute, and I'll be right back." She quickly went over to the next department, which was 'handbags'. She chose a small, white satin, envelope bag and told the clerk she would pay for it over in hats. Taking it with her, she paid for both purchases, and tucked the small bag into the hatbox the clerk handed her.

Grace was just coming out of the dressing room when Adele arrived, "Sweetie, they're having a sale on shoes where I work. Let's see if they have some white ones in your size, that are marked down and if not, then you can wear something you already have."

Walking into the store where Adele worked, she found a pair of white sandals that were half off because they were left over from Easter. Trying them on, she found that they fit her; Adele insisted that she get them. "Now that we have all of our shopping out of the way, why don't we stop at the five and dime and get a cherry coke?"

"I've never had a cherry coke. Are they good?" asked Grace.

"Oh you deprived child!" Adele said. "There is nothing better…unless it's a triple thick chocolate malt."

"Maybe we could get one of each and share them," giggled Grace.

"I like the way you think," replied Adele, as they entered the store and walked up to the counter. Ordering their drinks and asking for two straws each, they chatted away about plans for the wedding, not knowing that AJ had made arrangements with Reverend Dorsey for them to be married in the church.

Upon arriving back at the house, the girls carried their purchases in, and Adele said to AJ, "Don't you even think of trying to look in our bags! We bought Grace's wedding dress today."

"AJ can't see, but I most certainly can," said Josephine, walking upstairs to Grace's room and insisting that she put on her outfit so see could see it.

After Grace modeled it, Josephine said, "Oh, I'm glad you bought a hat, since you'll be getting married in church."

A bit confused, Grace said, "But we're not. We're getting married by the justice of the peace because there is no time for a church wedding."

"No dear, AJ has arranged for Reverend Dorsey to marry you in church, on Monday," smiled Josephine.

"Monday," squeaked Grace.

"Yes, dear, didn't AJ tell you anything?" asked Josephine.

"I guess not. And just this afternoon, he said we'd make all the decisions together," replied Grace.

"You should forgive him, Grace. I think this was a spur of the moment stop, and he was so eager to be married to you he wasn't thinking," responded Josephine.

"I guess I can understand his desire for us to be married so quickly, I do want that." Grace said.

"I'm glad you can understand the reason he acted on impulse," replied Josephine.

"Yes, after all he's a man," giggled Adele.

"Do all men have these impulses, and act so quickly on them?" asked Grace.

To be continued…..


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

"Yes, I'm afraid they do," sighed Josephine. "Some more than others. I intend to help you with your wedding, dear, and it will be as beautiful as I can make it on such short notice," Josephine replied.

"I don't know how I'll ever be able to repay you for all you've done," Grace said.

"You don't have to pay me, just give me a couple grandchild to spoil rotten," smiled Josephine.

"Oh, no! Rugrats running around all over the place," Adele said rolling her eyes. "They'll probably all be as bad as AJ was when he was a kid."

Grace got a dreamy-eyed look on her face as she pictured little AJ's running around and said, "Oh, I hope so."

"You wouldn't be wishing for that if you had grown up with him," Adele said frowning.

"I can hardly wait until we're married and have a baby," sighed Grace.

"It's better than doing it the other way around," Josephine said chuckling.

"Yes, and I'm sure my father would agree with you. I just hope when we see him tomorrow that he's please that AJ and I are getting married."

Their last day together had passed much to quickly, and over breakfast, Adele said her goodbyes to Grace. She had to head off to work and wouldn't be there when AJ left to take her back to her father. Knowing she would not see her again until Monday, the actual day of the wedding, she hugged her new friend, and future sister, fiercely, saying, "I'll miss you, even though it's only going to be four days until I see you again."

"I love you like a sister, Adele," and then she whispered in her ear. "I'll try to get AJ to get a puppy just like Angel for you."

"There could never be another puppy just like Angel," smiled Adele through her tears.

"That's true," Grace said with motherly pride as she picked up the puppy at her feet and hugged her.

Adele gave the puppy a pat goodbye and left for work.

Later that morning, Grace was packing up her small battered case, as she and Josephine chatted in her room. Realizing that there wasn't room for her wedding outfit in the case, Josephine told her to just to leave it, since she would be coming to the house before going off to the church anyway.

"Now don't forget, that I'm sending along all the fixings so you can make chili for your father, when you get home."

"He'll be so surprised. I'll make it for him tomorrow night, since it needs to simmer all day."

"Don't forget, that it's best if you serve it with cornbread and honey."

"I'll remember...Josephine, since AJ and I are getting married, would it be alright if I called you mother…or even mom?"

Tears welling up in her eyes, Josephine got up from the bed, where she had been sitting, and took Grace in a hug saying, "Oh, my dear child, of course it's ok…it's better than ok. I already think of you as my own anyway."

Hugging her back tightly Grace said, "I love you, mom."

"I love you to, Grace, dear, and not just because you're making my son happy."

AJ came to Grace's room and saw the two of them hugging. "Okay…who started a hugging party and didn't invite me?"

Josephine sighed, and smirked at Grace, "He always was a greedy little child."

"But he has grown up to be a generous and caring man," Grace said, looking AJ right in the eyes, added, "But don't tell him I said that."

Josephine laughed and watched the two young people hug each other.

"I got the box of garden stuff into the car, so we can go whenever you're ready, darling," said AJ.

"Oh, I just hate to see you go, even though I know you'll be back on Monday," Josephine said, giving her one last hug.

AJ picked up her case and the three of them walked out to the car. "Now you drive safe, AJ," his mother scolded, and she gave him a kiss on the cheek, after he had helped Grace into the car.

"I will, mom, you know I'm a good driver."

"I know son, I just don't want anything to happen to the two of you."

To be continued…..


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

He got into the car with a smile and both waved at Josephine as he backed the car out of the drive. The forty miles to Kingwood passed much too quickly for the two that were holding hands and listening to music on the radio. It was almost as if they were afraid to talk to each other on the ride for fear one or both of them would start crying about their parting. As they pulled up at the revival tent, AJ said, "I'll come up every night to see you."

"Since this is my last weekend as a single girl I should probably spend it with father. He will need to get used to the idea of me getting married."

"So you don't want me to come up?"

"Oh, I want you too, but I just think that this weekend I should devote to father."

"Ok, but I'll be here bright and early Monday morning. If you get a chance call me over the weekend."

"But AJ, I don't have any money, father handles it all."

AJ reached into his pocket and pulled out a five-dollar bill. I'm sorry it's not more, but I'm a bit low on cash right now."

"AJ, you don't need to give me any money, I'll be fine."

"But I want you to call me. Remember the truck stop up the road? I'm sure there'll be a pay phone there," reaching into his pocket and pulling out a hand full of loose change he added that to the money in her hand.

She smiled and thanked him, pocketing the money. Leaning over to give him a kiss she said, "I'll call you all three days."

AJ helped her out of the vehicle and quickly grabbing the produce and Grace's overnight bag they headed for the trailer. Once there, Harold opened the door and saw all the produce, he smiled and said, "I see you have not only brought my daughter home, but something good to eat."

"Yes, Sir, it is from my mom's garden, and I hope you'll enjoy it."

"Father, I had a wonderful time with the Chegwidden's. Thank you for letting me spend time with them."

"Well I'm glad you had a good time, but your vacation is over now, and you need to go into the trailer and get ready for the meeting tomorrow night. Where did you get that little ball of fur?"

Grace said, "AJ bought her for me." She turned and nodded at AJ and then went inside the trailer taking Angel with her and shut the door.

"I can take those things, young man," Harold said reaching for the suitcase and box of produce AJ had.

"Sir, if you have a moment, I'd like to speak to you about an important matter."

"Alright," Harold said. "Just let me put these things in the trailer."

AJ let them go and Harold placed them inside. He came and said, "Okay, what's so important?"

"I asked your daughter to marry me, and she said yes. We'd like to have your blessing, Sir, and would like to have you there for the ceremony."

"Oh, so you're not asking for her hand?"

"No, I'm asking for your blessing, not your approval, Sir. Grace and I are going to be married whether you approve or not."

"Well, I don't approve! And you will not be marrying my daughter! She is not to see you again."

"You can't stop her, Sir, she is twenty years old."

"I can do anything I please with my daughter, and she WILL NOT see you again!"

"We're going to be married on Monday, Mr. Foster. I hope you'll change your mind by then."

"You'd better leave now, before I call someone to throw you off this property," warned Harold.

"I'm leaving now, but I'll be back on Monday."

"We'll be gone by then," replied Harold.

"Then I'll be here Sunday night after the show to pick Grace up."

"You'd better not show your face here. I'll make sure to have people to protect her."

"She doesn't need any protection from me, Mr. Foster. I love her."

Glaring at AJ, Harold turned and walked away without another word.

AJ drove home worried at how Harold would treat Grace this weekend, and praying that she would be able to call him tomorrow, so he'd know how she was.

To be continued…..


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Inside the trailer, Grace had heard the argument between AJ and her father, she knew that seeing the engagement ring on her hand would only anger him further, so she slipped it off and put it in her pocket.

Once back in the trailer, Harold eyed his daughter and said, "So, you think you're going to marry him, do you?"

"Yes, father, we're going to be married on Monday."

"Over my dead body!" exclaimed Harold. "You're not going to throw your life away on some young hooligan."

"AJ is not a hooligan, father, he's a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy and he's going to be commanding his own ship soon. He's a very important and respected man."

"I don't care if he is the President of the United States, you're not going to marry him."

"I am, father, and nothing you can do, or say, will stop me."

"If your mother were here, she would make you see sense, but she's not here because you didn't save her when you could have."

"Father, I was a scared little child…" she started to say and at that moment Angel came running from the bedroom and started barking at Harold.

He looked at the little dog angrily, and pulled back his leg and kicked her.

"Stop it!" Grace yelled scooping up the now whimpering puppy. "Don't you ever hurt her again!" she ordered and disappeared into her bedroom.

Once in her room, Grace sank down on her bed and checked Angel over for injuries. She healed the bruising that her father's kick had caused and the two of them laid down together to take a nap. She slid her engagement ring out of her pocket and placed it on her finger to dream of AJ. Grace avoided her father for the rest of the day.

The next morning, she got up early, and after feeding Angel; she made breakfast for her father in hopes of smoothing things over. She also started a pot of chili going, the way Josephine had taught her to make it. Her father was quiet throughout breakfast, not even thanking her for the meal. He didn't say a word as he left to check things out at the revival tent.

When he returned to the trailer for lunch, the smell of chili was already filling the tiny space, and when Grace placed his bologna and peanut butter sandwich in front of him, he finally broke down and asked what the wonderful smell was.

"It's chili, father. AJ's mother taught me how to make it."

"What's wrong with chili from a can?" he growled.

"That's good, but Josephine's chili is even better. You'll see when I serve it for dinner tonight and I'm making cornbread too."

"You just see that we're not late for the meeting, girl."

"We won't be, we'll eat an hour before the meeting starts," she promised.

After lunch, Harold told her he was going back to the tent again, and Grace said that she wanted to take Angel for a walk, but would be back in plenty of time for dinner.

"See that you are, and if that dog causes any trouble at all, it'll have to go," warned Harold.

"She won't cause any trouble, father, and I'll keep her out of your way."

"Good," was all he said as he left.

As soon as she was out of sight of the trailer, Grace slipped her engagement ring back on her finger, as she and Angel walked toward the truck stop, so she could place a call to AJ. It was hard to hear his voice from the pay phone on the side of the building, but she couldn't go inside because she had Angel. So they made do as best they could, and talked for about fifteen minutes. Grace said that she had to go, because her father thought she was only out for a walk.

"Is everything ok?" asked AJ.

"Father is still upset, but I'm hoping he'll come around."

"He told me that you'd be moving on early Monday morning, so I'll come by and pick you up after the meeting on Sunday."

"That's wonderful, AJ, I'll get to see you a day sooner! I love you and I'll call again tomorrow."

"I love you too, Grace, be well."

The storm clouds had been gathering most of the afternoon and Grace noticed them as she walked Angel back from the truck stop. She knew that this would upset her father since the attendance at the meetings was always less when the weather was bad.

To be continued…..


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Once back at the trailer, Grace was setting the table as her father came in. He took his place at the small table and she served up the chili. Taking a spoonful he drank down all his milk and said, "Grace, this is awful! It's too spicy and should be thrown out!"

"No, father, it's good, try another bite with your cornbread."

"Nothing could help the taste of this chili, Grace! I should have known when you said that Chegwidden woman gave you her recipe that it would be horrible."

"Please, father, it's wonderful chili."

"No! I will not take another bite! Now get up and fix me something fitting to eat. Make it quick, girl, we have a meeting to attend and I won't have you being late."

With tears filling her eyes, Grace made some scrambled eggs for him, he complained they were too dry, but since they were in a hurry he would eat them anyway. He quickly finished his eggs and two pieces of cornbread smothered in honey and watched in disgust as she ate her bowl of chili.

"Hurry and get dressed, girl," he ordered. "You can feed the rest of that slop to that dog of yours."

Grace went back to her room and changed into her white revival meeting gown and giving Angel a hug left to join her father in the tent.

As she walked from the trailer to the tent lightening was flashing and thunder was grumbling. The light rain that had started to fall that afternoon was now a steady down pour. Before the meeting was more than an hour old the wind had picked up so much that everyone decided they had better head home early. Harold told Grace to go back to the trailer while he picked up their half of the evenings money. Grace had just changed into her everyday clothes, when her father came storming into the trailer, slamming the door behind him. He was wet and angry and Grace made the mistake of asking what was wrong.

"That damn Preacher Perkins, is taking all the money tonight because you didn't do any healing!"

"But, father, it's not my fault that they sent everyone home early because of the storm."

"Everything's your fault! Don't you know that, girl?" he shouted. "From the time you wouldn't heal your mother you've been nothing, but the source of my pain and misery."

"Father, AJ said you should never have asked me to heal mother."

"What in the world does he know?" snarled Harold.

"He has a daughter just a year younger than I was then and he said he would never have asked her to do what you asked me to do," replied Grace.

"Then he's a liar, and don't you back talk me, girl."

"AJ, wouldn't lie…he would never lie."

"Well, he's never had to watch someone he loved die."

"He said it wouldn't have mattered, he wouldn't have expected me to do that."

"Then he's a liar, girl."

"He is not!" Grace insisted and was backhanded across the face.

"I told you not to back talk me, girl."

Grace held her hand to the cheek that he had just slapped, tears streaming down her face. She had never known hate in her life, but came very close to it in that moment. She ran to her room and threw herself across her bed, crying her eyes out. Angel jumped up on the bed and licked at her tears, trying to offer what comfort she could.

She knew she could no longer stay with her father after he had hit her. She was too afraid of him to stay with him any longer. As soon as he was asleep, she would sneak out and go to the truck stop to call AJ to come and get her.

It was almost midnight before Grace heard her father snoring and putting on her raincoat she snuck out of the trailer. Within moments of stepping outside, Grace was drenched, even through her raincoat and it's hood. She was glad she had made this walk earlier in the day so she knew where the truck stop was. The night was so black, and the rain so heavy, that until she was nearly at the truck stop, she couldn't see the lights.

To be continued…..


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Dialing AJ's number she waited for someone to come on the line. Jolted awake Josephine picked up her bedside phone and answered in a sleepy voice, "Hello?"

With a sob in voice Grace said, "I'm sorry to wake you so late, Josephine, but could I please talk to AJ?"

"What's wrong, dear?" she asked.

"Father and I had a fight, and if it's not too much trouble, I'd like AJ to come and get me," replied Grace.

"I'll get him for you right now," said Josephine as she climbed out of bed and went to get AJ.

Waking with a start at his mother's touch, AJ demanded, "What's wrong, mom?"

"Grace is on the phone and needs to speak with you."

Out of bed in a flash even though he was just in his boxers he ran to the nearest phone. "Grace, what is it, darling?" he asked concerned.

"Father and I had a fight and he hit me. So, I waited until he was asleep and then I came to the truck stop to call you. If it's not too much trouble, could you come and get me?"

"Of course it's not too much trouble!" AJ insisted. "I want you to stay at the truck stop until I get there. Don't leave for any reason."

"I won't," she promised. "AJ, he scares me, he's never hit me before."

"I should never have left you alone there, Grace, I'm so sorry," he replied.

"It's not your fault, Father was mad…well...no...I guess it kind of was."

"What do you mean, Grace? Why was it my fault that he hit you?" asked AJ.

"Because I told him that it was wrong of him to expect me to save mother, and that you would never have asked your daughter to do that. That's when he got mad, and hit me."

"Oh, my darling, he doesn't deserve to have you in his life. I'll be there just as fast as I can dress and get there. You hold on, sweetheart, I am on my way." Not wanting to hang up, but knowing he couldn't leave until he did he turned to find Josephine and Adele right behind him.

"AJ, what happened?" his mother questioned.

"If you want to talk, come to my room while I dress, because I'm out of here in two minutes."

They trailed behind him as AJ hurried to his room. Pulling on the first clothes that came to hand, AJ told his mother and sister what Grace had said on the phone.

"That poor dear child, we'll take good care of her when you get her here," his mother reassured him.

"I can't believe that man hit her," replied Adele. "If he'd done it to me I would've hit him back."

As AJ tied his tennis shoes, he told his sister, "Remember Grace was raised to believe that the meek would inherit the earth. There is no way she would have hit him back."

"Well, sometime you just have kick a little ass," Adele insisted.

"You know, sis, you would have made a good SEAL. To bad they don't let women in the program."

"I bet that'll change one day," Adele called to his back, as he was hurrying from the house.

"Let's make some tea while we wait for them to get back," said Josephine.

AJ was very glad that there was so little traffic on the road at that hour, because even though it was storming, and blacker than pitch out, he was driving like a bat out of hell to get to Grace as quickly as possible. He made the forty-mile trip in just over half an hour.

Angel woke, and realizing her mistress was gone and she was alone in this new place, began whimpering. After a while this repetitive, annoying noise woke Harold. When his shout to Grace, to shut the damn dog up, got no response, he angrily climbed out of bed and stomped to her room. He jerked the door open, to find that the mangy mug was the only occupant in the room.

Angel, seeing the man that had kicked her earlier, jumped off of Grace's bed and hid under it. "You'd better hide, dog, in the mood I'm in you'd be dead," Harold growled as he slammed the door.

Throwing on his clothes, he grabbed the keys to the battered truck and took off into the stormy night to track down his daughter, and bring her home.

To be continued…..


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Pulling the car into the truck stop parking lot, AJ rushed inside looking for Grace.

Sitting in the booth nearest the door, she spotted him the moment he came in. Jumping to her feet she ran into his arms with a sob.

"Darling, are you all right?" he asked tenderly, as he held her close.

"I am now," she replied tearfully.

"Well let's get going, mom and Adele are waiting for you at home," replied AJ.

"I can't, AJ, I have to go back to the trailer."

"Why? Darling, I thought you wanted to be away from your father?"

"I do, but I couldn't bring Angel out in this storm to call you, so we have to go back for her."

"Alright, darling, but I want you to stay in the car while I go in and get her."

"Whatever you say, AJ."

With his arm around her shoulders AJ led her out of the truck stop.

Harold had been cruising around the truck stop looking for Grace when he saw his daughter and AJ come out. Stopping the truck and jumping out, with the motor still running, and the lights on, he left the door open and ran to confront them. "What the hell do you think you're doing with my daughter?" asked Harold.

"I'm taking my fiancée home with me," AJ responded.

"She is not going anywhere with you! I told you, you weren't to see her again!" shouted Harold.

"Like I would listen to anything you had to say, after you hit her," replied AJ.

As AJ guided Grace into the car Harold grabbed his arm and tried to yank him away from his daughter. AJ jerked his arm free and Harold almost toppled over at the force of his action. By the time Harold regained his balance, AJ was half way around the car heading for the drivers side.

Seeing where AJ was, Harold decided to try to get Grace out of the car. Reaching for the door handle, he planned on yanking it open, and dragging her out, but Grace saw him more towards her door, and slammed the lock down.

"Open this door, girl!" Harold ordered. "You're not going anywhere with him."

Backing away from the window he was pounding on Grace yelled, "I'm not going with you. AJ and I are going to be married, and there is nothing you can do about it."

"I'll stop you, girl. I swear I will!" he said pounding on the glass harder.

AJ started the engine and began to back the car away, as Harold was still pounding on the vehicle. He stood there for a moment watching them pull away and shaking his fist in anger, hardly able to believe his baby was defying him this way. Then it dawned on him, in his rage filled mind that she would probably be going back to the trailer to get that mangy mutt. He ran for his truck, jumped in, and tore out of the parking lot, heading for the trailer.

He arrived just as AJ and Grace were coming out of the trailer with the dog and the suitcase she had packed earlier. Skidding to a stop, he got out of the truck, and started towards them, as he heard AJ say, "Grace, get in the car and lock all the doors."

Throwing a worried look his way, Grace did as she was told. The look on AJ's face had frightened her. This was no longer the gently caring man that she loved, he was now mentally and physically braced for whatever Harold might throw at him, whether it was a physical fight or just a shouting match.

Harold placed himself between AJ and the car and said, "You're not taking her anywhere."

"I am," AJ replied in a steely calm voice.

"You'll have to go through me," yelled Harold.

"I don't want to hurt you, Mr. Foster, you are Grace's father."

"Oh, aren't you the big man thinking you can hurt me!"

"I'm a trained Navy SEAL, Sir, I could kill you in more ways than you could imagine."

"So, now you're going to kill me, are you?"

"No Sir, just explaining my level of training."

"Well, let's just see how good you are," he snarled and lurched forward to take a wild swing at AJ.

To be continued…..


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter 41

Easily ducking under the punch, AJ was surprised at how quickly Harold managed to gain his footing, and take a second swing at him, which connected with his shoulder. With his forearm, AJ shoved Harold backwards, away from him, with enough force that he took three or four stumbling steps back, until bumping into the car stopped him.

"Is that all you can do? Shove like a girl?" Harold taunted and started toward AJ again.

Harold knew he was a strong man, and figured if he could get AJ in a bear hug, he might be able to break his back. Trying to grab hold of the younger man, AJ dove out of his way, and rolled to his feet a few feet beyond his reach. Unfortunately, now AJ was closer to the car than Harold, and Grace unlocked the driver's door, and pushed it open calling for AJ to get in the car.

For a split second, AJ turned to look at her, and Harold took the opportunity to throw another punch. Getting hit in a kidney caused AJ to grunt in pain, and jerk forward slightly. It took him only a split second, to realize that Harold wouldn't stop unless he was laid low. Swinging around, AJ threw one punch that connected with Harold's face, breaking his nose and knocking him to the ground. He jumped into the car and he and Grace were soon pulling away from the trailer.

"I'm sorry I hit him, Grace, he just wouldn't stop fighting."

"You did what you had too, AJ. I don't blame you for hitting father." She sat on the front seat next to him trembling, clutching the puppy to her, and wondering what the future would hold for her in a life without her father.

A couple of miles down the road, AJ took a deep cleansing breath, allowing the tensions of the altercation leave his body. He reached out for Grace's hand, and gave it a comforting squeeze, when from out of nowhere; they were hit from the back by another vehicle.

Looking into his rear view mirror, AJ saw the rage filled Harold at the wheel of his truck, which he was now using as a weapon. Yanking his hand back from Grace, and taking a firm grip on the wheel, AJ tried to maintain control on the rain slick roads. He couldn't allow Grace's scream to distract him, he needed to keep all his attention on keeping them alive.

Harold had decided that if he couldn't have Grace, to control and manipulate, than no one would. He was going to force them off the road, hoping to take care of both problems at once.

The third time Harold's truck back-ended their car, AJ realized that he wasn't out to scare them; he was out to kill them. "Grace, get your seat belt on," he said, as that realization hit and wanting to protect her as much as possible.

Grace scooted away from him, and putting Angel down as she reached for the seatbelt, Harold hit them again, this time with more force than he had before. The wheel spun out of AJ's hands as his entire body jerked forward, because he hadn't had time to get his seat belt on. Screaming off the road, he saw the large tree that they were barreling towards. Jerking the wheel to the right so they wouldn't hit the tree head on, but that the driver's side of the vehicle would take most of the damage. They slammed into the tree.

Harold jammed on the brakes of his truck, stopping in the middle of the road to view his handy work. The car was wrapped around a tree, and was smoking, even in the heavy rain. He knew they couldn't have survived. He drove off with a happy grin.

Grace regained consciousness when Angel licked her face. She sat up groggily and saw Angel lying in front of her with one of her back legs lying at an odd angle. Grace reached out and healed her without even thinking. Her brain was still foggy from the bump on the head she had taken when she had been thrown in the back seat by the impact with the tree. Shaking her head to try and clear it, she found was a mistake, as the pain almost caused her to pass out again. When the world stopped spinning, she looked around to realize that she was in the back of the car. She looked up and found AJ was pinned behind the wheel unconscious.

To be continued…..


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter 42

Grace tried to sit up, so she could get a better look at AJ, and in doing so realized that she had a broken arm. Ignoring her pain, she tried to climb into the front seat to see how badly he was hurt. It took her several painful tries before she managed to drag her body into the crumpled front seat, using only her good arm.

The steering wheel was smashed into AJ's chest and both his legs were bent at odd angles. She knew they were broken, but what scared her the most was the blood coming out his mouth and nose. He was barely breathing and when she placed her hands gently on him, she could feel his heartbeats steadily growing weaker. She knew he was dying. Trembling in fear, Grace's mind flew back thirteen years, to when the same situation had happened to her mother. She was older and wiser now, and knowing AJ and his family, had given her courage she never knew she possessed. She couldn't let AJ die. She loved him beyond life itself and didn't care if she had to give her life to save his. Closing her eyes and placing her hands on his chest, she began to slowly heal the massive internal injuries the accident had caused.

As his wounds began to heal, AJ started to come around, and even through his pain filled haze, he could see what Grace was trying to do. "No, Grace, please stop," he begged.

She looked into his eyes and whispered, "I can't live without you."

"I don't want to live without you, either…please don't give your life for mine."

"I'll stop when help gets here," promised Grace.

"I love you, Grace," AJ said as he passed out again from the pain.

"I love you too, AJ," she whispered. "Don't hate me for what I'm going to do." She continued to heal and repair the damage caused by the accident, leaving the large bump on his head for last, hoping that he would not regain consciousness until she had finished her work. She healed his broken legs, his punctured lung, the four broken ribs, the bruising of his heart from the crushed rib cage, the ruptured spleen, and all the internal bleeding. Finally she came to his concussion. She had left it for last, knowing if he was conscious he would try and stop her again. Grace was beginning to feel the effects of AJ's injuries, when she laid her head on his shoulder and placed her hand on his brow. She whispered a prayer, and healed his concussion.

AJ slowly came around to the sound of Angel's whimpering and the sight of Grace dying before him. Still trapped behind the wheel, he couldn't even take her in his arms as he watched her life force ebbing away. "Why Grace?" he wept. "Why?"

She found the strength to murmur, "Because I love you."

AJ heard the sirens in the distance growing closer every passing second, as the car filled with an intensely bright light, he saw Grace's spirit leave her body. He could feel the touch of her gentle lips on his, for the briefest moment, even though her head was still on his shoulder. And in a white dress and hat, he had never seen before, she walked towards the light.

The rescue crews arrived and worked to cut him out of the vehicle. They couldn't believe that he had sustained no injuries, not even a single bruise was found on him. Instead, the young girl next to him that had not been pinned behind the wheel of the car was dead from massive internal injuries.

AJ was sitting on a stretcher in the ambulance, clutching Angel to him, when Adele and Josephine rushed over to him. "Oh, son, you're alright," Josephine gasped when she saw him. "We're so sorry about Grace."

"It should have been me, mother. I should have been the one dead. I told her not to heal me, but she wouldn't listen."

"It was her choice to make, AJ," Adele told him. "She loved you."

"But now I have to live without her, and I don't know if I can," replied AJ.

Josephine sadly looked at her son, and sternly said, "She gave you your life, son, it would dishonor her memory to waste it."

To be continued…..


	43. Chapter 43

Chapter 43

The next few days passed with an agonizing slowness for AJ. There was no consolation in the fact that Harold, on AJ's statement and the evidence of the damage to the front of his truck, was arrested for the murder of his daughter, and one count of attempted murder of her fiancé. On Monday, the day that would have been his wedding day, AJ and his family attended Grace's funeral. It should have been the happiest day of his life. The day she should have become his bride, and here he was putting her in the ground forever.

Josephine and Adele had insisted that she should be buried in her wedding dress, and when AJ saw it, he recognized it as the dress she had been wearing when he saw her walk into the light. Josephine gently asked AJ, on the morning of the funeral, if he thought if he'd ever want to use her engagement ring for another woman?

AJ looked at her like a wounded animal, and said, "I'll never love again, mother. Unless you want your ring back, it should be buried on her finger."

"Then on her finger is where it will stay," Josephine said and then kissed his cheek.

After going through the funeral and graveside service like a zombie, AJ returned to his mother's house and found Angel curled in a ball on the guest room bed that Grace had been using. He scooped her into his arms and took her into the living room. Placing Angel on Adele's lap, he asked her, "Will you take Angel, and care for her for Grace?"

"I'd be more than happy to, AJ. One of the last things Grace said to me was that she would get you to give me a puppy just like Angel. I told her that there was no dog just like Angel," with a sob in her voice, Adele continued, "She agreed with me, and now here you are, giving me, her Angel!"

"She would've wanted you to have her, Adele. Just take good care of her, I'm going to report for duty early. I'm leaving tonight."

Over his mother and sister's protests AJ packed his sea bag, donned his uniform, and left the house. It would be many years before he could bring himself to return to the house. Even though he came back for Harold's trial, it wasn't until his mother's funeral twelve years later that he finally came home again. At the trial, AJ had testified to the events of the night in question. When Harold heard the full story of how Grace had healed AJ, saving his life, he became so enraged, that he jumped from his seat, grabbed the bailiff's gun, and aimed at AJ. Before he could pull the trigger, he was shot dead by a deputy that had been in the room waiting to testify.

That first night back on the ship, as AJ lay in his bunk, he had just drifted off to sleep, when Grace appeared to him in a dream. "Grace?" he questioned.

"Yes, AJ," she replied.

"What are you doing here? Am I dreaming?"

"Yes, you are, and the reason I'm here is because I love you. AJ you can't go on like this, you have to love again, I beg of you."

"I can't go on without you," AJ replied in his dream. "I will never love again."

"You will, you have to, or it was all for nothing."

AJ's voice calling out her name woke him, and he found himself reaching out his hand for something that wasn't there.

The End?


	44. Chapter 44

Epilog:

Tuesday, December 3l, l996

0400 EST

AJ Chegwidden's Home

McLean, Virginia

AJ had been asleep since about 0230 hours. His Mess Dress uniform hung over the back of his closet door in preparation for the SECNAV's New Year's Eve Party later that night. He really didn't want to attend, but it was a social obligation that he didn't really feel he could get out of. He was deep in his dream state when a person from his past showed up. "Grace?" he questioned, the lovely vision he had not seen in twenty-one years. At her nod he continued to question her, "What are you doing here? Am I dreaming?"

"Yes, AJ, you're dreaming, and I have come to help you," replied Grace.

"Help me? How, Grace?"

"I came to tell you, that you've mourned me long enough, and need to love again."

"I gave my heart to you all those years ago and I haven't found anyone else that has made me feel the same way," replied AJ.

"AJ, my love it's time to let me go."

"You fill my heart, Grace, how can I?" he asked.

"You need to open up your heart and let another in, my darling," spoke Grace. "You've been alone way too long."

"I have my memories," sighed AJ. "They comfort me."

"Yes, my darling, but they can't keep you warm on a cold night, or keep you from being lonely when others have someone."

"How could anyone compare to you, Grace?" he asked.

"Don't look at a woman and judge her by me, AJ. Judge her by her own beauty and intellect. I want this for you. When I gave my life for yours, I never expected you to live for me."

"I don't want any other, Grace…only you."

A tear slid down her cheek and she said, "AJ, you must love again, and you have to let me go."

Her vision began to fade as AJ reached out in his dream for her. "Grace, come back I need you."

"No, my love, you need to let me go," she said and vanished completely.

"Grace!" AJ's own voice woke him up from his dream and his hand was reaching out for his closet where his uniform hung.

Saturday, February l5, l997

0400 EST

AJ Chegwidden's Home

McLean, Virginia

After finally falling into a restless sleep from the horrendous day he had, AJ was surprised to see Grace appear in his dream that night. "Hello, AJ," she said softly.

"Why are you here, Grace?" he asked.

"I'm here to heal your heartache, my love," she responded.

He softly and sadly replied, "I opened my heart, like you told me to do, and look what happened. You know what happened to Laura Delaney, don't you?"

"I know what happened, AJ, but I only told you to love again, not whom to love. I've come to heal your aching heart. There is someone very special out there for you, you only need to open your heart to see her."

"Never again!" he vowed. "I lost you and now Laura…never again!"

Smiling sadly Grace approached him and placed both of her hands gently over his heart. Grace took away the pain of Laura's death, and then, reaching deeply into the past, healed the pain he had experienced at losing her, as well. "You will love again, AJ, I promise you, and it will be the most incredible experience of your life." She gently kissed his cheek and his vision of her faded away. Once again, he woke himself by calling her name, and he found he was reaching out for her.

Thursday, May 20, 2004

0400 EST

AJ Chegwidden's Home

McLean, Virginia

AJ tossed and turned in his sleep until the vision of Grace appeared to him in his dream one more time. "How dare you come to me after telling me to let you go and to love again? Then when I do she dies, chooses her son over me, or cheats on me?" he asked angrily.

"That is why I'm here, AJ. I know you gave your heart to Laura, but you never truly loved Sydney or Meredith."

"How can you say that?! Meredith and I were engaged until today!"

"She was a companion, and would have been a good choice for you…if your heart was not filled with another."

"I thought you told me to get over you and find someone else?" he asked.

"It wasn't me I was speaking of, AJ."

"I haven't given my heart to any other woman," he declared.

"I didn't say you had given your heart yet. Duty and regulation has been preventing you from doing that."

"What are you talking about?" he questioned angrily.

"There is someone you've loved for years, but you've not been able to admit it, even to yourself."

"I don't know who you're talking about," he insisted.

"Do need to say her name?" Grace asked tenderly.

"Are you talking about Sarah Mackenzie?" he asked. "There is nothing between us, I assure you."

"I know there's not, AJ, because your honor would not allow it. Duty and regulations don't keep you warm at night, love can…you just need to find a way."

"Is this the love you told me of seven years ago?" he asked.

"Yes, it is."

"If I let myself love Sarah, will I ever see you again?"

"You won't need too, my darling," she whispered and softly faded away.

Once again the sound of his own voice awoke him, and he found himself reaching out, but the name on his lips was not Grace, but Sarah. "Maybe it is time I retire…"

THE END


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